Senegal’s DREPAF Breakthrough and Africa’s First Locally Manufactured Sickle Cell Treatment
Senegal’s DREPAF Breakthrough and Africa’s First Locally Manufactured Sickle Cell Treatment Executive Summary Senegal has achieved a significant milestone in African pharmaceutical manufacturing by producing DREPAF , a locally manufactured generic hydroxyurea medicine used to treat sickle cell disease (SCD). The drug is produced by the Senegalese pharmaceutical company Teranga Pharma and is widely reported as the first African-manufactured clinical treatment for sickle cell disease based on hydroxyurea , the World Health Organization's recommended disease-modifying therapy for SCD. turn1search3 The development is particularly important because Africa carries the largest burden of ickle cell disease globally, with nearly 80% of cases occurring on the continent, while access to treatment has historically depended on imported medicines that are often expensive and difficult to obtain. turn1search6 1. Understanding Sickle Cell Disease Sickle cell disease is a hereditary blood isorde...