Drug updated on 3/28/2024
| Dosage Form | Tablet (oral: 30 mg, 120 mg) |
| Drug Class | Nitrofuran antiprotozoals |
| Ongoing and Completed Studies | ClinicalTrials.gov |
Indication
- For the treatment of Chagas disease (American Trypanosomiasis) caused by Trypanosoma cruzi.
Summary
- Nifurtimox (Lampit) is indicated for the treatment of Chagas disease, also known as American Trypanosomiasis, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi.
- A total of three systematic reviews/meta-analyses were reviewed to gather information about the safety and effectiveness of nifurtimox in treating this condition.
- One study compared fexinidazole with a combination therapy involving nifurtimox and eflornithine (NECT), revealing that mortality may be higher at 24 months with fexinidazole than NECT; however, it was noted that none of these deaths were related to treatment.
- The same study found no significant difference between fexinidazole and NECT regarding incidence rates of serious adverse events at 24 months; both drugs commonly resulted in adverse events but there was no notable disparity between groups.
- Another review highlighted how oral medication like fexinidazole is much easier to administer than conventional treatments such as intravenous infusions which include nifurtimox-based therapies like NECT; despite this convenience factor, relapses appear more common with oral treatments when compared to traditional methods including those using Lampit.
- In terms of efficacy against Chagas disease specifically, one review pointed out considerable heterogeneity among clinical studies on CD treatment practices including use cases for Lampit - while benznidazole was most frequently administered active drug followed by nifurtimox itself among others studied across various trials included within their analysis scope indicating potential variations in therapeutic outcomes depending upon specific regimen employed during patient management process under real-world conditions beyond controlled trial settings.
Product Monograph / Prescribing Information
| Document Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lampit (nifurtimox) Prescribing Information. | 2022 | Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc., Whippany, NJ |
Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses
| Document Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Chemotherapy for second-stage human African trypanosomiasis: drugs in use. | 2021 | Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |
| Efficacy and toxicity of fexinidazole and nifurtimox plus eflornithine in the treatment of African Trypanosomiasis: a systematic review. | 2021 | Cureus |
| The Chagas disease study landscape: A systematic review of clinical and observational antiparasitic treatment studies to assess the potential for establishing an individual participant-level data platform. | 2021 | PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
Clinical Practice Guidelines
| Document Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of Chagas Disease. | 2019 | WHO |
| WHO interim guidelines for the treatment of gambiense human African trypanosomiasis. | 2019 | WHO |