Daichii Sankyo’s drugs combine for a total impact score of 15,978.61. This entire score is attributable to its drugs for TB.
Daichii Sankyo receives credit for two TB treatments: Levofloxacin and ofloxacin. Levofloxacin is an essential drug for treating multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). All three regimens for MDR-TB include levofloxacin. Ofloxacin is also included in the treatment regimen for extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB).
Combining the impact of its two drugs, in 2010 Daichii Sankyo’s drugs averted 0.06% of the total DALYs we estimate would have been lost to TB in the absence of effective treatment. Its total impact score ranks Daichii Sankyo at the twelfth place in our index.
Sanofi receives credit for two widely-used first-line treatments against malaria, artesunate + amodiaquine and artesunate + sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. These two malaria drugs are responsible for averting the loss of 50.07% of the worldwide DALYs that we estimate would have been lost due to malaria in 2010 in the absence of effective treatment. With respect to malaria, Sanofi’s drugs together averted the loss of more DALYs than any other company’s drugs.
Sanofi also receives credit for two TB drugs, ethionamide and rifampicin. Ethionamide is especially important in treating multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) because it is included in all three MDR-TB treatment regimens. Rifampicin is also important because it is one of the drugs in the standard first-line regimen against TB. Sanofi’s TB drug portfolio helped to prevent 24.97% of the DALYs that we estimate would have been lost to TB in 2010. Sanofi’s drug portfolio placed it second in terms of total averted DALYs for TB.
Although Sanofi’s drugs do not top those of other companies in every aspect that we measured, their good performance in helping to alleviate the global burden of malaria and TB put Sanofi in first place in our index.
Shire’s lamivudine is the most-used first-line antiretroviral drug to treat HIV/AIDS. Lamivudine is included in 87.5% of first-line antiretroviral regimens for adults and 85.7% of first-line pediatric antiretroviral regimens. Lamivudine is particularly important for treating children in low- and middle-income countries outside of the Americas as part of a first-line regimen – 8 out of 9 treatments for children in these countries include lamivudine, which accounts for 98.5% of the treatment coverage. In 2010, lamivudine helped to avert the loss of the most HIV/AIDS-attributable DALYs: 31.17% of all the estimated DALYs that would have been lost to HIV/AIDS in 2010.
Although Shire Pharmaceuticals receives credit for lamivudine, its total impact score puts Shire Pharmaceuticals in fourth place in our index.
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals’ drug, nevirapine, has a total impact score of 4,459,685.33. Nevirapine is used in many first-line antiretroviral regimens to treat HIV/AIDS.
Most of nevirapine’s score came from treating adults in low- and middle-income countries outside of the Americas. Combined with other drugs, nevirapine accounts for 59.7% of adult first-line treatment in these countries. In 2010, nevirapine helped to prevent the loss of 4,459,685.33 HIV/AIDS-related DALYs worldwide, which accounts for 18.83% of the loss averted through HIV/AIDS treatment. In terms of total loss of DALYs prevented, nevirapine ranks second among all other anti-HIV/AIDS drugs.
Overall, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals ranks sixth in our index.
Pfizer’s ethambutol and pyrazinamide are two of the drugs in the first-line regimen against TB. Its cycloserine and 4-aminosalicylic acid are essential ingredients in treatment of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). All three MDR-TB treatment regimens include cycloserine and 4-aminosalicylic acid.
Although Pfizer’s four anti-TB drugs have a greater global impact than all other anti-TB drugs, TB has a smaller impact on overall DALYs than HIV/AIDS and malaria. Thus Pfizer ranks third in our index.
Bristol-Myers Squibb drugs achieve a total impact score of 3,268,276.09. Of this score, 99.57%, or 3,254,227.49, comes from treating HIV/AIDS and 0.43%, or 14,048.60, from treating TB.
Bristol-Myers Squibb receives credit for two HIV/AIDS drugs, didanosine and stavudine. As a first-line treatment, didanosine is used only for children in low- and middle-income countries in the Americas while, as a second-line treatment, didanosine is used by adults in low- and middle-income countries outside of the Americas and by children in all low- and middle-income countries. Most of didanosine’s score came from its treatment for children in low- and middle-income countries outside of the Americas (as a second-line treatment). When combined with other drugs, didanosine is included in 39.60% of second-line treatment regimens for children in these countries. Most of the score of stavudine came from its use in first-line treatment for children in low- and middle-income countries outside of the Americas. In combinations with other drugs, stavudine is part of 56.4% of first-line treatment regimens for children in these countries.
Bristol-Myers Squibb also receives credit for two TB drugs, amikacin and kanamycin. Kanamycin is used to treat both multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) while amikacin is used only to treat XDR-TB. Most of kanamycin’s score came from its use in a treatment against MDR-TB. The treatment regimen kanamycin + levofloxacin + ethionamide + cycloserine + 4-aminosalicylic acid receives credit for 74% of the total impact of MDR-TB treatment; kanamycin receives 1/5 of the impact of this treatment regimen.
Bristol-Myers Squibb’s HIV/AIDS drugs helped to prevent the loss of 13.74% of the total global HIV/AIDS-related DALYs burden that we estimate would have been lost in 2010 in the absence of effective treatment. Its TB drugs helped to avert the loss of 0.05% of the total TB-related DALYs. Combining its TB and HIV/AIDS scores, Bristol-Myers Squibb ranks seventh in our index.
Viiv Healthcare’s drugs achieve a total impact score of 3,178,652.73.
Viiv Healthcare receives credit for three drugs for HIV/AIDS: abacavir, zidovudine and nelfinavir. Most of abacavir’s score came from treating children in low- and middle-income countries outside of the Americas as a second-line treatment. Abacavir is included in 42.6% of second-line treatment regimens for children in low- and middle-income countries outside of the Americas. Zidovudine is an important drug for first-line treatment of children in low- and middle-income countries in the Americas. All six first-line treatments in these countries include zidovudine. In addition, zidovudine is especially effective when combined with lamivudine and efavirenz to treat HIV/AIDS in adults in low- and middle-income countries in the Americas. Their estimated combined effectiveness is 82.00%, which tops all other first-line regimens for adults in these countries. Lastly, nelfinavir is used as a regimen in both first-line and second-line treatments of children in low- and middle-income countries in the Americas. All of nelfinavir’s score came from the treatments for children in these countries.
Combining the impact scores of its three drugs, Viiv Healthcare’s drugs helped to avert the loss of 3,178,652.73 DALYs due to HIV/AIDS, 13.42% of the total HIV/AIDS DALYs alleviated in the world in 2010. Viiv Healthcare ranks eighth in our index.
Merck’s drug portfolio has a total impact score of 3,064,466.96. Of its score, 99.90%, or 3,061,495.58, comes from its drugs for HIV/AIDS and 0.10%, or 2,971.38, comes from its drugs for TB.
Merck’s sole antiretroviral drug for HIV/AIDS, efavirenz, accounts for most of its score. Efavirenz serves as a key drug in both first-line and second-line treatments for HIV/AIDS. Efavirenz receives most of its score from its inclusion in first-line treatment regimens for adults in low- and middle-income countries in the Americas. Efavirenz is included in 53.1% of first-line treatment regimens for adults in these countries. Efavirenz is especially effective when combined with zidovudine and lamivudine.
Merck’s TB drug, streptomycin, is used in regimens to treat multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Streptomycin is included in two out of three treatment regimens against MDR-TB.
With its two drugs, Merck helped to avert 12.93% of total DALYs alleviated by any company’s drugs for HIV/AIDS and 0.011% of total for TB. Combing the total impact of both drugs, we rank Merck ninth in our index.
Hoffman-LaRoche’s sole TB drug has a total impact score of 6,587,721.05. Isoniazid serves as one of four drugs in the standard first-line regimen for drug-susceptible TB. Among all TB drugs, isoniazid performs third best in preventing the loss of DALYs globally. It alone averted the loss of 6,587,721.05 DALYs — 24.92% of the total DALYs that would have been lost to TB in 2010 without treatment.
Hoffman-LaRoche ranks fifth in our index.
Gilead Science’s second drug for HIV/AIDS is tenofovir, which is included in regimens for adults in low and middle income countries. Tenofoviris also part of a second-line regimen to treat children in low and middle income countries outside of the Americas, though this treatment regimen only accounts for 2% of second-line treatments for children in these countries. Most of tenofovir’s score came from treating adults in low and middle income countries in the Americas as a second-line regimen. Tenofoviris included in 6 out of 10 second-line treatments against HIV/AIDS for adults in these countries. Combined with other drugs, Tenofoviris is part of 54.2% of second-line treatment regimens for adults in low and middle income countries in the Americas.
Combining the impact of its two drugs, Gilead Science’s drugs account for 8.40% of the total DALYs alleviated that would have been lost to HIV/AIDS in the world of 2010. Its total impact score puts Gilead Sciences in tenth place in our index.
Abbott Laboratories’ drugs have a total impact score of 335,233.33. This score comes solely from its HIV/AIDS portfolio.
Abbott Laboratories receives credit for lopinavir with a ritonavir boost and half of the credit for atazanavir/ritonavir (with Novartis). Lopinavir with a ritonavir boost is included in regimens for treating adults and children in low- and middle-income countries. Most of lopinavir with a ritonavir boost’s score came from its inclusion in second-line treatment for adults in low- and middle-income countries outside of the Americas. All second-line treatments of adults in these countries include lopinavir with a ritonavir boost. lopinavir with a ritonavir boost is most effective when combined with tenofovir and lamivudine. Atazanavir/ritonavir is used only to treat adults in low and middle income countries in the Americas. Most of atazanavir/ritonavir’s score came from treating these adults as a second-line regimen. Atazanavir/ritonavir is included in 14.80% of second-line treatments for adults in these countries. .
Combining the impact of its two drugs, Abbott Laboratories accounted for 1.42% of total DALYs averted that would have been lost to HIV/AIDS without treatment in 2010. The total impact score of Abbott Laboratories’ drugs ranks it eleventh in our index.
Chongqing Tonghe Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has a drug portfolio with a total impact score of 6,730.11. This score comes entirely from its antimalarial drugs.
Chongqing Tonghe receives credit for dihydroarteminisin-piperaquine, which serves as a first-line treatment against malaria. Most of dihydroarteminisin-piperaquine’s score came from its average treatment efficacy, which ranks second (97.50%) among all malaria drugs. Additionally, dihydroarteminisin-piperaquine is used as a first-line antimalarial drug in five countries.
In 2010, Chongqing Tonghe’s dihydroarteminisin-piperaquine helped to prevent the loss of 0.02% of the total malaria-attributable DALYs. Chongqing Tonghe Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. comes in thirteenth place in our index.
Novartis’s antimalarial drug, artemether-lumefantrine, performs second best in almost every aspect among all antimalarial treatments. It averts the loss of 49.90% of the worldwide DALYs that we estimate would have been lost due to malaria in 2010, in the absence of effective treatment. It is also the most used antimalarial drug worldwide.
104 countries specify a first-line treatment for Falciparum malaria. Of these, 53 recommend artemether-lumefantrine as either the sole drug or as one amongst a few recommended treatments. Moreover, artemether-lumefantrine ranks as the second most effective antimalarial drug, with an average efficacy of 98.10%.
Novartis also shares credit (with Abbott) for an HIV/AIDS drug, atazanavir/ritonavir, which averts the loss of 0.09% of the total HIV/AIDS-related DALYs. Due to the impressive performance of artemether-lumefantrine, Novartis ranks second in our index.
©2014 The Global Health Impact