On 20 March 2024, Thailand’s Mahidol University and Egyptian pharmaceutical company Pharco joined forces with DNDi in a tripartite collaborative and license agreement with the objective of introducing ravidasvir in Thailand, and thereby offering a much-needed additional affordable treatment option for people living with hepatitis C.
Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) revolutionized hepatitis C treatment in the mid-2010s, by offering a short and effective cure for the disease. But their affordability has long been a challenge in many countries, notably in Thailand. While the prices of DAA treatments have seen a decline in Thailand, they haven’t reached a level conducive to widespread adoption or the implementation of national strategies for HCV elimination.
The journey towards the development of ravidasvir began in 2016 when DNDi partnered with Pharco Pharmaceuticals in Egypt to explore the creation of a more affordable hepatitis C treatment. This collaboration expanded to involve the Ministry of Health (MoH), Malaysia, the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), Thailand, and Pharmaniaga Berhad, a Malaysian pharmaceutical company; making the ravidasvir development a unique example of South-South collaboration.
In 2017, DNDi initiated the STORM-C-1 clinical trial in Malaysia and Thailand, testing a ravidasvir and sofosbuvir combination for treating chronic HCV infections. Co-sponsored by the MoH, Malaysia, and with DNDi partnering with the Thai Government, this trial recruited 603 participants across multiple sites in Malaysia and Thailand. The results showcased a remarkable 97% cure rate, including hard-to-treat cases.
In June 2021, the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency of Malaysia granted conditional registration for ravidasvir, which was expanded in 2024 to full registration. Ravidasvir was also included in the WHO Essential Medicines List in 2023.
This new collaboration in Thailand signifies a commitment to expand ravidasvir’s registration and accessibility in regions where the affordability of hepatitis C treatments is still fragile. Efforts are also underway to seek regulatory approval for ravidasvir in other countries, including Argentina and Brazil, underscoring the global effort to combat hepatitis C and ensure equitable access to life-saving treatments.
Photo credit: Abang Amirrul Hadi-DNDi
