Chronic hepatitis treatment
The US Food and Drug Administration has expanded the approval of Mavyret (glecaprevir and pibrentasvir) tablets for an eight-week duration for the treatment of adults and children aged 12 years and older or weighing at least 99 pounds who have chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 infection and compensated cirrhosis and have not been previously treated for HCV (treatment-naïve). Mavyret is now the first eight-week treatment approved for all treatment-naïve adult and certain pediatric patients with HCV genotypes 1-6 both without cirrhosis and with compensated cirrhosis. Standard treatment length for patients with compensated cirrhosis was previously 12 weeks or more.
Presidential hat-trick
OPPI re-elects A Vaidheesh
The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) has elected A Vaidheesh as its President for the third year in a row. Vaideesh is Vice-President, South Asia and Managing Director, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd. The OPPI is a platform representing largely international drugmakers. “OPPI will continue to focus on patients and sharpen its advocacy on improving health access through innovative financing models. We will collaborate with policy makers to ensure that the ecosystem is conducive for innovative medicines to reach the Indian patients,” a note quoting Vaideesh said.