DREPAF: A TREATMENT THAT CHANGES LIVES
Sickle cell disease remains a serious condition, but today there is an effective treatment available. With hydroxyurea, it is possible to transform patients’ daily lives and offer them a longer, happier, and more dignified life.
A standard-of-care treatment that is accessible and tailored to African realities
Unlike frequent transfusions (which are costly and inconvenient) or curative treatments such as bone marrow transplants (which are inaccessible in Africa), DREPAF (hydroxyurea), produced locally is today the most realistic and effective solution.
WHAT WE DO
The NGO Drep.Afrique has entered into a humanitarian agreement with the Senegalese pharmaceutical company
TERANGA PHARMA, which has committed to working with us to produce DREPAF at cost. Drep.Afrique owns the brand. Marketing authorization was obtained in Senegal in 2025. As a result, a family can now treat their 5-year-old child for less than 30 euros a year and find it in every pharmacy in Senegal at a fixed price! Just a few months ago, it cost twice or three times as much!
Once out of reach, DREPAF is now becoming a real solution for thousands of
families.
How does it work ?
Hydroxyurea acts directly on the blood by stimulating the production of fetal hemoglobin (HbF), a protective form that prevents red blood cells from becoming deformed.
As a result,
- Fewer deformed red blood cells
- Improved blood circulation
- Reduced pain
- Overall improvement in health
- Reduction in mortality
The earlier treatment begins (as early as 9 months), the more effective it is.
A medicine that really works
Scientific studies show that the use of hydroxyurea:
- Reduces the frequency of painful episodes by two-thirds
- Reduces hospitalizations by two-thirds
- Reduces mortality by two-thirds
- Increases hemoglobin levels
- Extends life expectancy and, consequently, improves quality of life
- Gives hope and helps patients to look forward to the future
Our commitment: making treatment accessible
Drep.Afrique is working to ensure that DREPAF, in both its 100-mg and 500-mg formulations, is available to as many people as possible in Senegal and, soon, in other African countries.
Every action, every contribution helps to:
- Facilitate access to treatment
- Raise awareness among communities
- Provide long-term support to patients
Would you like to learn more about sickle cell disease, its causes, and its effects? Find all the essential information here → DREPAF : Traitement Drépanocytose Sénégal | Hydroxyurée