A review of medicines to treat TB, including both existing products and emerging technologies with the potential to improve treatment.
Geneva – 17 September 2013. UNITAID has published its 2013 Tuberculosis Medicines Technology and Market Landscape, a review of medicines to treat TB, including both existing products and emerging technologies with the potential to improve treatment.
The purpose of this report is to stimulate discussion and inform potential opportunities for future market intervention that could improve access to TB medicines, and, ultimately, public health outcomes related to TB. The UNITAID 2013 Tuberculosis Medicines Technology and Market Landscape highlights the complexity of TB medicines markets. Of an estimated $700 million market for TB medicines, just $300 million was spent on treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB in 2011.
The market for paediatric TB medicines is even smaller, and poorly characterized. Buyers of TB medicines – including donors and government and private-sector purchasers – can have specific quality, regulatory, and tender requirements. Many combinations of medicines are used to treat MDR TB, further fragmenting demand. The report finds that market shortcomings in TB medicines markets are varied and severe, especially for MDR-TB and paediatric medicines, and market segments are closely interrelated. As a result, several complementary interventions may be needed to impact markets and public health.
At the end of 2012 UNITAID made a $16.7 million investment to support the development and production of appropriate paediatric TB medicine formulations. In addition, UNITAID funds the Strategic Rotating Stockpile which it created in 2007 to avoid stock outs for MDR-TB medicines and reduce delivery times.
Source: UNITAID