Nadia found out about her HIV positive status when pregnant with her daughter who is now 17 years old. In , the World Health Organization WHO published their Consolidated guidelines on HIV prevention, testing, treatment, service delivery and monitoring: recommendations for a public health approach.
These guidelines recommend dolutegravir DTG -based regimens as the preferred first- and second-line treatment option in children for age and weight groups with approved DTG dosing, from four weeks of age and three kilogramms.
A licensing agreement between MPP and ViiV Healthcare, the originator company, was signed in , which allows generic manufacturers to produce low-cost versions of DTG for paediatric use in countries.
Paediatric DTG, a 10 milligram scored dispersible tablet, offers many advantages: it is more effective, better tolerated, easier to administer thanks to its possible dissolution into a liquid, and better accepted by children due to its strawberry taste.
As part of this work, CHAI, with funding from Unitaid and in partnership with ViiV Healthcare, implemented a novel development incentive program and innovative regulatory strategy to accelerate the development and regulatory approval of a generic pediatric DTG product, which included technical support to these generic manufacturers to support the development of this unique formulation for children that did not exist.
