Latest advancements in TB science in spotlight

Bobby Ramakant – CNS
Contd from previous issue
 “CROI 2022: Global Advocates Offer Insights and Directions on the Science and Next Steps Needed.”
Harry Tembo, Zambia Community Advisory Platform, Zambia; Katie Willingham, The Well Project, United States; Richard Jefferys, Treatment Action Group, United States; Shobha Shukla, CNS, India; and Simon Collins, i-Base and EATG, United Kingdom were among the panelists and session was moderated by HIV prevention research stalwart-advocate Jim Pickett.
Latest advancements in drug-susceptible TB
Study 31/A5349 found that a new treatment regimen (combination of medicines) for treating drug-susceptible TB of the lungs in adults and adolescents, can effectively and safely cure TB in 4 months, instead of 6 months (when treated with current standard regimens). This new regimen used in the study had a combination of 4 medicines: Isoniazid, Rifapentine, Moxifloxacin, and Pyrazinamide. The study concluded that this new regimen of 4 months was non-inferior to the current standard regimen of 6 months. In fact the overall efficacy results for HIV positive sub-group were higher at 85% as compared to 78% cure rate for participants who were living with HIV in the standard of care regimen group.
(To be contd)