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news.Sanofi-aventis has received orphan drug status from the European Commission (EC) for Rifapentine, to treat tuberculosis (TB).
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Rifapentine comes under rifamycin class, which according to Sanofi-aventis has a higher inhibitory activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a longer half-life than rifampin.
With the objective of shortening the duration of drug-susceptible TB treatment, Sanofi-aventis is reviewing the development of Rifapentine which is to be given daily in combination with standard daily companion drugs.
Currently, Rifapentine is marketed in the US for the treatment of pulmonary and drugsusceptible TB within a standard 6-month course combination regimen.
Robert Sebbag, vice president of access to medicines at Sanofi-aventis, said: “Rifapentine is currently one of the most promising drugs for the improvement of patient compliance, which is key to the success of tuberculosis treatment. To avoid as much as possible the emergence of resistant strains, it is of utmost importance to simplify the treatment of non-resistant TB.”