As a doc in a job that exposes me to TB quite a lot, this is good news:
Journal Gazette | 12/10/2004 | New drug boosts TB treatment
Report says human tests could begin “very soon”
By Rick WeissWashington Post
A chemical compound that drug developers had shelved as a failed treatment for inflammation has unexpectedly become the most promising new tuberculosis medicine to emerge in 40 years, scientists said Thursday.
…
Among infectious diseases, TB is second to AIDS as the leading cause of death worldwide…The new compound, known simply as R207910, has been given to only 50 or so healthy people for safety testing so far. Studies of its effectiveness in people infected with TB will begin “very soon” said lead researcher …
But in animal studies, described in today’s issue of the journal Science, the compound easily overcame the two biggest hurdles facing TB therapies today: their ineffectiveness against resistant strains and the long period of treatment required to achieve a cure.
Let’s hope we never have to take it!
