Posted by Michael Wonder on 01 Mar 2017
WHO stresses urgent need for R&D for drug-resistant TB alongside newly-prioritized antibiotic-resistant pathogens
28 February 2017 - WHO reaffirms the critical need for research and development of new antibiotics to tackle the threat of drug-resistant tuberculosis.
"Addressing drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) research is a top priority for WHO and for the world," said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. "More than US$ 800 million per year is currently necessary to fund badly needed research into new antibiotics to treat TB."
The MDR-TB public health crisis continues: there were an estimated 580 000 cases and 250 000 related deaths in 2015. Only 125 000 were started on treatment, and just half of those people were cured.
Only two new antibiotics to address MDR-TB have completed Phase IIB trials in the past 50 years. Both are still in Phase III trials, and more funding will be required to complete the process and to develop other effective treatment regimens.
