Innovative anti-cytomegalovirus drugs put into clinical use in China to fill the gap in the treatment of refractory CMV after transplantation

Abstract: The team of Academician Huang Xiaojun of Peking University People's Hospital and the team of Director Liu Qifa of Southern Medical University issued the first prescriptions of the innovative anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) drug Malibavir tablets in Beijing and Guangzhou respectively, marking the use of this innovative drug in China. Clinical use brings new treatment options for adult transplant recipients of refractory CMV infection or disease in my country.

Today, the team of Academician Huang Xiaojun of Peking University People's Hospital and the team of Director Liu Qifa of Southern Medical University issued the first prescriptions of the innovative anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) drug Malibavir tablets in Beijing and Guangzhou respectively, marking the use of this innovative drug in China. Clinical use brings new treatment options for adult transplant recipients with refractory CMV infection or disease in my country.

Huang Xiaojun, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of the Department of Hematology, Peking University People's Hospital, said that once patients who have undergone bone marrow transplantation are found to have refractory CMV infection and cannot receive timely and effective treatment, it is likely to cause transplant failure and even endanger the life of the patient. "The emergence of mabavir gives clinicians a new weapon to deal with recurrent CMV infections after transplantation. Patients are expected to have a good prognosis after receiving mabavir."

"In every aspect of transplant surgery, we must emphasize precision and individualization, and pursue higher patient benefits." Liu Qifa, president of the Institute of Hematology and director of the Department of Hematology of Southern Medical University, said that as an innovative targeted drug, Marebave can efficiently remove CMV hyperemia and control related symptoms, and the treatment is less restrictive.

CMV is a common beta-herpesvirus, with serological evidence of infection found in 40-100 percent of the population. Among the 200000 adult transplant cases worldwide each year, CMV is one of the most common viral infections in transplant recipients, with an incidence of 16-56% in solid organ transplant recipients and 30-70% in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

Marebavir tablets are a new oral antiviral drug to combat CMV infection and disease. It targets the inhibition of CMV UL97 protein kinase, inhibits viral DNA replication, encapsidation and nuclear escape, thereby clearing CMV and controlling related symptoms.

In December 2023, Malibavir tablets were approved by the National Food and Drug Administration (NMPA) through the priority review and approval channel. It is suitable for the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and/or disease after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or solid organ transplantation, and is refractory (with or without genotype resistance) to one or more previous treatments (ganciclovir, valganciclovir, cidofovir or foscarnet).