Livtencity

Livtencity is an antiviral medicine used to treat illness caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV) in adults who have had a haematopoietic stem cell transplant or an organ transplant. It is used in patients whose CMV illness has not responded to at least one other treatment, including ganciclovir, valganciclovir, cidofovir or foscarnet. Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation involves using stem cells from a donor to replace the recipient’s bone marrow cells. The donated stem cells will form new bone marrow that produces healthy blood cells. CMV is a common virus that usually only causes mild infection in healthy people. After infection, the virus remains in the body in an inactive form and does not cause harm. However, CMV can become active and cause illness in patients whose immune system (the body’s natural defences) is weakened, such as those who have had a stem cell or organ transplant. CMV disease is rare, and Livtencity was designated an ‘orphan medicine’ (a medicine used in rare diseases) on 18 December 2007 and 7 June 2013. Further information on the orphan designations can be found here: ema.europa.eu/medicines/human/orphan-designations/eu307519 and ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/orphan-designations/eu-3-13-1133. Livtencity contains the active substance maribavir.