Rifaximin-α Reduces the Incidence of Sepsis and All-Cause Admissions Whilst on the Liver Transplant Waiting List[i] and Hospital Admissions

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Norgine B.V.

12 Apr, 2018, 07:00 GMT

AMSTERDAM, April 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

  • Patients treated with rifaximin had significantly reduced all-cause admissions on the waiting list (p=0.01) 
  • Length of stay in hospital was reduced in the rifaximin-treated group from 14.4 to 8.7 days.

Norgine B.V. today highlighted new data from a UK retrospective study showing that rifaximin-α prescribed for the recurrence of overt hepatic encephalopathy in patients with advanced cirrhosis listed for liver transplantation improved outcomes on the waiting list with a significant reduction in all cause hospital admissions and episodes of sepsis.

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These new independent data were presented at the International Liver Congress.

The study led by Dr Debbie Shawcross, Clinician Scientist and Honorary Consultant Hepatologist based at the Institute of Liver Studies and Transplantation, King's College London, UK shows that patients treated with rifaximin had significantly reduced all-cause admissions on the waiting list (p=0.01). In addition the data show significant reduction of episodes of sepsis including spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (p=0.016), admissions related to ascites (p=0.024), variceal bleeding (p=0.024) and were less likely to warrant prioritisation (p=0.04).

The study reviewed the electronic patient records of patients who were listed for liver transplantation over a 2-year period [1st January 2014 - 31st January 2016]. Patients were included if they had at least two historic episodes of overt HE or were clinically encephalopathic at the time of transplant assessment.

There is no cure for hepatic encephalopathy other than transplantation. In the UK, the prevalence of cirrhosis was estimated to be 76 per 100,000 population[ii].

Norgine currently holds marketing rights for rifaximin--α( XIFAXAN® 550mg known as TARGAXAN® 550mg in the UK and Belgium) in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Sweden and United Kingdom.

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i. Debbie Shawcross et al. Rifaximin reduces the incidence of sepsis and all cause admissions whilst on the liver transplant waiting list. Poster presentation. Abs 5380. The International Liver Congress 2018.

ii. Fleming et al. Incidence and prevalence of cirrhosis in the United Kingdom, 1992-2001: A general population-based study. Journal of Hepatology 49 (2008) 732-738