Tuberculosis: Clinical Trials and New Drug Regimens
Tuberculosis: Clinical Trials and New Drug Regimens
A standard regimen for TB treatment with proven high efficacy and safety has been used for 40 years, but improvements to this regimen are needed to decrease the treatment duration and increase its efficacy in drug-resistant TB. Recent advances in TB drug development may enable these changes in TB treatment. However, many problems that should be resolved before the use of these new drugs still remain, including dose optimization and the development of new regimens that not only combine new drugs but also add new drugs to standard regimens, which could increase treatment efficacy and decrease adverse events and drug interactions. In addition, increased efforts to reduce drug resistance during TB treatment should be made.
Conclusion
A standard regimen for TB treatment with proven high efficacy and safety has been used for 40 years, but improvements to this regimen are needed to decrease the treatment duration and increase its efficacy in drug-resistant TB. Recent advances in TB drug development may enable these changes in TB treatment. However, many problems that should be resolved before the use of these new drugs still remain, including dose optimization and the development of new regimens that not only combine new drugs but also add new drugs to standard regimens, which could increase treatment efficacy and decrease adverse events and drug interactions. In addition, increased efforts to reduce drug resistance during TB treatment should be made.