Drug new hope in TB fight

LONDON - A new compound that is effective against drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis could be an extra weapon against the disease, scientists say.

In a report in the journal Nature, researchers at the Seattle biotechnology company PathoGenesis said the compound, called PA-824, could offer new hope for the world's TB sufferers.

"What we hope is that this can be a new drug against TB," said Kendall Stover, senior director of research biology at the company.

The drug has a different molecular target than TB treatments currently in use. Laboratory experiments and animal tests on mice and guinea pigs have proven its effectiveness.

"It appears to work on all the drug-resistant forms of TB we have tested to date, because TB has never seen this drug before," Mr Stover said.

Despite effective treatments for TB, it is still the world's leading killer among infectious diseases. More than seven million cases are reported each year.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that multi-drug- resistant strains of TB which are unaffected by the most powerful TB drugs were taking hold in parts of China, India, Africa and the former Soviet Union.

If the strains were not stopped, the consequences would also be felt in wealthier nations.

A multi-level treatment approach called the DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course), which includes drug therapy and patient surveillance, has been successfully adopted in many countries.

The treatments must be taken regularly over many months. Skipping or not completing the course of medication is the cause of drug-resistant TB.

PathoGenesis, which focuses on chronic respiratory infections, is looking for a collaboration or partnership with a pharmaceutical company or government to develop the drug.

They estimate it could be approved within 10 years if further tests and clinical trials are successful.

"The toxicity testing in animals looks very promising," Mr Stover said.

"It looks like it is safer than isoniazid, the current front-line drug, in mice at comparable doses. That looks really good so far."

- NZPA