Science & Technology

Bedaquiline

Context:  Recently, the primary patent of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, over bedaquiline expired.
  • As a result, Indian manufacturers will now be able to supply generic versions of bedaquiline.
About Bedaquiline:
  • Bedaquiline is a medication used in the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB). 
  • It is an antibiotic that targets the bacteria responsible for TB and is considered a cornerstone of DR-TB treatment.
Drug-Resistant TB:
  • Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a form of tuberculosis (TB) caused by bacteria that are resistant to one or more of the standard anti-TB drugs.
  • Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Burden of Drug-resistant TB: 
  • Each year, nearly half a million people develop drug-resistant TB and nearly 10.4 million people develop drug-sensitive TB.
  • One-third of the world’s population has latent TB, a version of the disease that can turn active as immunity falls.
  • Nearly 2.8 million patients live in India making it a national public health emergency.
What happens when a Patent over a Medicine Expires?
  • When a patent over a medicine expires, it means that the exclusive rights granted to the original developer (usually a pharmaceutical company) to produce and sell that medicine are no longer in effect.
  • As a result, other manufacturers can now produce and sell generic versions of the medicine.
Generic Versions of Medicine:
  • Generic versions of medicine are identical copies of brand-name drugs that have the same active ingredients.
  • These are produced after the patent protection on the original brand-name drug has expired.
News Source: The Hindu
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