Drug updated on 3/28/2024
| Dosage Form | Capsule (oral: 200 mg); Injection (intravenous: 200mg/20 mL) |
| Drug Class | Orthopoxvirus VP37 envelope wrapping protein inhibitors |
| Ongoing and Completed Studies | ClinicalTrials.gov |
Indication
- TPOXX is indicated for the treatment of human smallpox disease in adults and pediatric patients weighing at least 13 kg.
Summary
- Tecovirimat (TPOXX) is indicated for the treatment of human smallpox disease in adults and pediatric patients weighing at least 13 kg.
- Two systematic reviews/meta-analyses were reviewed to gather information about TPOXX's efficacy and safety profile.
- In a review of 18 studies with 71 individuals, tecovirimat was used in 61 cases, resulting in complete resolution of symptoms for approximately 83% of these patients; only one death occurred which was not thought to be related to tecovirimat use.
- The same review reported elevated hepatic panels among five individuals treated with tecovirimat but no major safety concerns were detected upon its use, suggesting that it has a favorable safety profile compared to other antivirals like brincidofovir which led to treatment discontinuation due to adverse events.
- A meta-analysis comparing previous monkeypox outbreaks with the outbreak in 2022 found that antiviral treatment including tecovirimat had been prescribed for some patients during the recent outbreak; however, its efficacy remains inconclusive as per this analysis.
- Despite being primarily used on adult male population affected by monkeypox virus infection who engage in high-risk sexual activity or are HIV positive according to the second document analyzed, further research may be needed on specific subgroups such as children or those without these risk factors before definitive conclusions can be drawn regarding TPOXX's effectiveness across different populations and conditions beyond smallpox disease alone.
Product Monograph / Prescribing Information
| Document Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| TPOXX (tecovirimat) Prescribing Information. | 2022 | Siga Technologies Inc., Corvallis, OR |
Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses
| Document Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The use of antivirals in the treatment of human monkeypox outbreaks: a systematic review. | 2022 | International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| Clinical Features, Antiviral Treatment, and Patient Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Comparative Analysis of the Previous and the 2022 Mpox Outbreaks. | 2022 | Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| Efficacy of three key antiviral drugs used to treat orthopoxvirus infections: a systematic review. | 2019 | Global Biosecurity |