A new tuberculosis treatment making use of three drugs could nearly eliminate the bacteria that cause TB over the course of two weeks, new data from researchers at Stellenbosch University in South Africa suggests.
Lead researcher Andreas Diacon and his team combined three drugs to create the combination pill used in the trial - TB drug pyrazinamide, antibiotic moxifloxcin and a new unapproved TB drug PA-824.
They found over two weeks, 99 percent of tuberculosis bacteria was eliminated in their test subjects. This is a drastic improvement in both treatment time and effectiveness over previous treatments. This combination drug could also be used in concert with HIV medicine to lower infection rate.
Mario Raviglione, a TB expert at the World Health Organization, said the new research is exciting, adding, "The results look strongly promising from this early trial. We could shorten drug regimens substantially for everyone, regardless of whether the form of TB is sensitive or multi-drug resistant."
The study appears in the latest edition of journal The Lancet.
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