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NEW DELHI – In a significant step towards improving access to treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility (GDF) has successfully negotiated a 25% price reduction for the critical drug pretomanid.
The GDF announced recently that the price for a treatment course of pretomanid, manufactured by the generic drugmaker Lupin, will now be $169 when procured through their platform. This marks a substantial decrease from the $224 price listed in October 2024. Pretomanid, originally developed by the non-profit TB Alliance, is a vital component of two shorter, all-oral treatment regimens recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for MDR-TB: BPaL (bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid) and BPaLM (which adds moxifloxacin to the BPaL combination).
The Stop TB Partnership, which established the GDF in 2001 to ensure equitable access to TB treatments and diagnostics, estimates this price reduction alone will save its clients over $3 million annually. Furthermore, the new $169 price sets an important reference point for high-burden TB countries, strengthening their negotiating position when procuring pretomanid directly from suppliers.
This latest reduction builds upon previous price cuts achieved for other key MDR-TB drugs, including bedaquiline, linezolid, and moxifloxacin. Cumulatively, these efforts have decreased the cost of a complete 6-month BPaLM treatment course by 47%. The Stop TB Partnership projects this combined saving will free up approximately $37 million per year for national TB programs, potentially allowing for expanded treatment access.
“This is a remarkable feat that couldn’t have come at a better time as future TB funding hangs in the balance,” stated Dr. Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership, in a press release reacting to the news.
Globally, an estimated 176,000 people receive treatment for MDR-TB each year, a challenging form of the disease that doesn’t respond to the most common first-line TB drugs. Lowering the cost of effective, shorter treatment regimens is crucial in the global fight against this deadly infection.
Disclaimer: This news article was generated based on information provided regarding a price reduction for the drug pretomanid facilitated by the Global Drug Facility. It reflects the details available in the source material at the time of writing.
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/tuberculosis/global-drug-facility-cuts-price-critical-drug-resistant-tb
