Cipla and DNDi launch 4-in-1 antiretroviral treatment for young children in South Africa

The drug major received South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) approval to launch 4-in-1 fixed-dose combination of four antiretroviral (ARV) treatments for infants and young children with HIV in South Africa.

This combination treatment has been developed by and the not-for-profit Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi). It is composed of abacavir, lamivudine, lopinavir, and ritonavir. The antiretroviral combination is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an alternative first-line regimen for infants and young children with HIV in the form of granule-filled capsules. Caretakers will be able to give the medicine to children by sprinkling the granules over soft food like porridge or dissolving it in water or milk, Cipla said.

This new formulation represents a significant improvement over protease inhibitor-containing paediatric ARV formulations that have been used in South Africa for decades, said the company. The country has 238,000 children under the age of 15 living with HIV which is the highest in the world.

Professor Moherndran Archery, who represents Child and Adolescent Interests at the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society (SAHCS) said, South Africa has made major advances in the treatment of adults living with HIV, but as in the rest of Africa, children with HIV have been left behind, in part because the treatment options we have are not child-friendly. Although 72% of South African adults are on life-saving HIV treatment, just half of children living with HIV in the country are on treatment. Along with other optimal ARV formulations being introduced in South Africa, the approval of the 4-in-1 is a step towards closing this gap and ending the neglect of children with HIV.

Cipla is a global pharmaceutical company focused on agile and sustainable growth, complex generics, and deepening portfolio in our home markets of India, South Africa, North America, and key regulated and emerging markets.

The pharma company's consolidated net profit fell 12.4% to Rs 362 crore on 14.2% increase in total revenue from operations to Rs 5,260 crore in Q4 March 2022 over Q4 March 2021.

Shares of Cipla rose 1.31% to Rs 966.60 on the BSE.

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