Latest News

In this edition of our newsletter, read about the upcoming ICASA conference, the IMPAACT4TB Consortium’s participation in the recent Lung Union Conference, as well as project updates.

HIV and TB: ICASA 2021

IMPAACT4TB Consortium
at the Union Conference

The 52nd Union World Conference on Lung Health took place virtually from 19-22 October 2021, and many members of the IMPAACT4TB Consortium took part in the event. In case you missed it, here are some of the highlights from our partners. 

• The ABC of scaling up 3HP in children. This session included a presentation by KNCV Ethiopia on the implementation of 3HP and the uptake of TB Preventive Treatment (TPT) among child contacts in 73 health facilities in Ethiopia. The session reviewed the latest evidence informing dosing of rifapentine in children for TB prevention and treatment and described lessons learned from the programmatic rollout of the film-coated rifapentine tablet in children. 
• The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) team in Zimbabwe presented an oral abstract detailing the operational considerations of virtual care initiatives in TPT service delivery. 
• The Aurum team in Mozambique presented an oral abstract on the rollout of 3HP in the country. 
• Petros Mitiku from KNCV Ethiopia presented on the Road to TB elimination: scaling up TB preventive therapy in LMICs.
• Prof Gavin Churchyard from the Aurum Institute presented on the role of TPT in TB elimination. 

Announcements & Updates

• After a pause of about six months related to product impurities, deliveries of 3HP have resumed across all project countries. With the exception of Tanzania, all IMPAACT4TB countries have included 3HP as a recommended preventive treatment regimen for people living with HIV and children in approved national guidelines.
  • Read more here.
  • You can also access an update on the status of 3HP orders by country here.
• Read about the latest updates on research studies and their impact on TB preventive treatments here. 
• Rifapentine (WHOAPI-375) manufactured by Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd has been prequalified by the WHO Prequalification Unit – Medicines Team (PQT/MED) under its API prequalification procedure. The new validity will be included in the next PP eligibility list. Read more here. 
• Nitrosamine Impurity announcement: An initiative under the IMPAACT4TB project funded by Unitaid and led by the Aurum Institute recently launched. This initiative will address the challenge of reducing nitrosamine impurities within the rifapentine active ingredient and its drug products, while recognizing and understanding the impact of nitrosamine impurities across the class of rifamycin products. For more information, please reach out to info@auruminstitute.org.  
  • Read a WHO update on nitrosamine concerns in rifampicin products here. 
  • The European Medicines Agency also recently published a Q&A on nitrosamine impurities in human medicinal products. 
  • Read and update published by the US FDA in November here. 
• Civil society success stories
  • The significant role of TB community networks in advancing advocacy for TB preventive therapy in Cambodia
  • Levering Budget Advocacy for TPT Scale-up in Malawi
  • Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV finds TB Prevention Therapy sparks conversations

Resources

• An Activist’s Guide to Shorter Treatment for Drug-Sensitive Tuberculosis
  • The guide provides activists with information about two shorter treatment regimens for drug-sensitive TB: (1) a four-month regimen with high dose rifapentine given in place of rifampicin and moxifloxacin given in place of ethambutol for adults and adolescents; and (2) a four-month regimen with standard doses of rifampicin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide plus or minus ethambutol for children with non-severe TB.
• Watch the latest 3HP patient stories
  • Cambodia
  • Kenya
  • Indonesia
  • Zimbabwe
• Watch a new video on the role of civil society voices for TB prevention 
  • Civil society organizations play a critical role in transforming the global and national responses to TB prevention, control and care. The Unitaid-funded IMPAACT4TB consortium supports over 15 organisations in 12 high burden TB countries. 
• TB preventive treatment implementation tools
  • These tools are a fairly comprehensive set of responses/aids intended to address the many different concerns or obstacles that HIV programs may face when scaling up TPT. They constitute a library that programs may select from and adapt as needed to fit the local context.