Trials of a non-antibiotic drug to treat tuberculosis (TB) have been successful in animals. The drug, developed over a 10-year period by scientists at the University of Manchester, would be the first treatment for the disease that does not rely on antibiotics, which have become a cause for concern due to the recent rise in antibiotic resistant strains. The results have been published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
Although there is a vaccine for TB, it remains a health concern, with approximately 7.3 million people diagnosed and treated in 2018 and a death toll of about 1.7 million a year. Patients take a cocktail of strong antibiotics for 6 – 8 months to treat the disease, but there is a 20% chance the disease will return, as well as increasing chance the drugs will be ineffective against the infective strain.
The drug trialed in the current study acts by targeting one of Mycobacterium tuberculosis’ Virulence Factors—mechanisms the bacteria use to block host immune defenses—called MptpB. Blocking MptpB does not kill the bacterium directly, but allows the immune system to resume its defense against TB. This indirect route of action lowers the chances that resistance will emerge.
The compound was tested in guinea pigs with both acute and chronic TB infection at Rutgers University and found to effective at lowering infection rates and improving survival.
The next steps of the study will be to test the drug in human patients. The authors are hopeful that clinical trials can start within three to four years.