Gilead and MSD AIDS drugs added to WHO prequalification list

Two antiretroviral HIV drugs have been added to the list of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) prequalified medicines.

Gilead Sciences’ Tenofovir was already listed by the WHO as a second-line treatment in 2003. In a statement the organisation said that the drug was now approved for use in first-line treatment as well.

HIV/AIDS treatment efavirenz was also approved for use. The drug has been recommended for use in first-line treatment as well as a “preferential drug” for suffers of both HIV and tuberculosis.

Efavirenz is approved in two forms ? 50mg hard capsule and 200mg hard capsule, all produced by MSD. Tenofovir was approved in its 300mg tablet strength.

Prequalification approves the drug for use by UN-run or associated organisations. The decision has no supra-national authority and drug firms are still required to gain marketing approval for their treatments on a country-by-country basis.

“Tenofovir and efavirenz (in two different strengths)… are crucial products for the treatment of HIV/AIDS and malaria respectively and will considerably boost the choice of therapy in resource-poor countries,” the WHO said in a statement.

The organisation also green-lighted the anti-malarial drug artemotil in its 150 and 50mg/ml strengths.

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