Janssen India donates 600 courses of SIRTURO to RNTCP

Bedaquiline was approved for conditional use by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in 2015, for use in adults as part of combination therapy of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) due to multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium TB (MDR-TB) when an effective treatment regimen cannot otherwise be provided.

The introduction of bedaquiline will be managed by the RNTCP and will provide approximately 600 patients with free access to bedaquiline through six public hospitals and institutes of national importance in the treatment of MDR-TB. After review of clinical and outcome data, Janssen India will work with the RNTCP to discuss opportunities to expand the program to include more patients.

“Janssen believes that appropriate use is an integral aspect of the introduction of new TB regimens, and we take seriously our obligation to ensure that bedaquiline provides utility for patients today as well as tomorrow,” commented Sanjiv Navangul, Managing Director, Janssen India. “As part of our TB program, we are wholeheartedly committed to working with the RNTCP and other relevant stakeholders to ensure access to bedaquiline for MDR-TB patients, as part of national efforts to combat one of the oldest of diseases.”