RedHill Biopharma Ltd. has announced the launch of Talicia (omeprazole magnesium, amoxicillin and rifabutin) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – making it available by prescription to treat adults with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

The commercial launch of Talicia in the UAE triggers RedHill's eligibility for additional potential milestone payments, minimum sales payments and tiered royalties up to mid-teens on net sales. Talicia is the first approved low-dose rifabutin-containing all-in-one combination product in the UAE specifically designed to treat H. pylori. 

"We are delighted with the commercial launch of Talicia in the UAE, bringing this important medicine to patients in the region," said Rick Scruggs, President, and Chief Commercial Officer, RedHill Biopharma Inc.

"As one of the strongest risk factors for gastric cancer, H. pylori is a major public health concern. With 41 percent of the UAE population infected by H. pylori and the alarming failure rates of clarithromycin-based therapies, there is a significant medical need for a highly effective first-line H. pylori therapy. Our efforts to make Talicia available to patients in more countries continue as we work to explore additional opportunities with existing and potential partners,” Scruggs added.

Clarithromycin-based triple therapy continues to wane in effectiveness. A 2021 study demonstrated only 68.5 percent eradication with traditional clarithromycin-based triple therapy, which declined further to 32 percent in patients harboring resistant H. pylori organisms. Clarithromycin-based treatment efficacy can also be negatively impacted by patient obesity or diabetic status, neither of which impact Talicia's safety or efficacy, according to data from post-approval post-hoc analysis.