Cipla gets WHO nod to sell drug that prevents TB in HIV patients

Drug major Cipla on Thursday said it has received approval from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for Q-TIB, a combination drug indicated to help prevent tuberculosis infection in people living with HIV.

Q-TIB is a novel fixed-dose combination in a single tablet and it is for the first time that such a combination has been made available in the world.

The company will market the product globally, Cipla said in a statement.

Q-TIB will help prevent tuberculosis infection in people living with HIV as they face a challenged immune system and are prone to infections, which constitute the major source of premature deaths among them.

As per WHO's Global TB Report, 2016, about one million people died of AIDS-related illness. Most of them succumbed to infections, and among them, 4 lakh died of tuberculosis.

Cipla shares were trading 1.31 per cent down at Rs 600.55 apiece on BSE on Thursday.