FDA approval for Egaten for the treatment of a neglected tropical disease

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Egaten (triclabendazole) for the treatment of fascioliasis in patients six years of age and older. This makes Egaten the only FDA-approved drug for people with this disease and is expected to facilitate broader access to this important drug not only in the USA, but also in affected countries worldwide, says Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX), which has rights to the drug.

"Novartis has a long-standing commitment to addressing global health challenges and supporting disease elimination efforts, in diseases such as leprosy, malaria and fascioliasis," said Vas Narasimhan, chief executive of Novartis, adding: "Today's FDA approval of Egaten is another important milestone that we believe will help further expand access to this one-day treatment, taking us a step closer toward disease elimination."

Fascioliasis, commonly known as liver fluke infestation, is a neglected tropical disease that infects 2.4 million people worldwide, with an additional 180 million at risk of infection. It is caused by two species of parasitic flatworms that can infect humans following ingestion of larvae in contaminated water or food.