Recent Advances

Drugs: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval for pretomanid, bedaquiline, and linezolid to be used to treat drug-resistant TB. These are the first new medicines for TB in more than 40 years. The new anti-TB medication delaminid (approved for use in Europe, Japan, and South Korea) awaits FDA approval.

Diagnostics: In 2013, diagnostic technology was updated to include the Xpert^® MTB/RIF test (Cepheid). This test is designed to provide rapid molecular detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in specimens and, when positive, it also detects rifampin resistance; the system may also be used in decentralized locations where global demand is greatest.

Vaccine: For years, BCG has been the only licensed vaccine for the prevention of severe forms of TB disease in children living in high-burden countries. Recently, the M72/AS01E vaccine, a highly promising vaccine candidate, has been allowed to enter Phase II trials addressing the adult population. This promising vaccine candidate is comprised of an immunogenic fusion protein M72 derived from two MTB antigens (MTB32A and MTB39A) in combination with a GlaxoSmithKline proprietary adjuvant.