Rifapentine

Rifapentine (INN, marketed under the brand name Priftin by Sanofi-Aventis) is an antibiotic drug used in the treatment of tuberculosis.

It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most important medications needed in a basic health system.

Medical uses

A review of alternative regimens for prevention of active tuberculosis in HIV-negative individuals with latent TB found that a weekly, directly observed regimen of rifapentine with isoniazid for three months was as effective as a daily, self -administered regimen of isoniazid for nine months. But the rifapentine-isoniazid regimen had higher rates of treatment completion and lower rates of hepatotoxicity. However, the rate of treatment-limiting adverse events was higher in the rifapentine-isoniazid regimen.

Pregnancy

Rifapentine has been assigned a Pregnancy Category C by the FDA. Rifapentine in pregnant women has not been studied, but animal reproduction studies have resulted in fetal harm and were teratogenic. If rifapentine and rifampin are used together in pregnancy, coagulation should be monitored due to a possible increased risk of maternal postpartum hemorrhage and infant bleeding.