Welcome to the Working Group on New TB Drugs Blog
4th Annual G-FINDER Survey Released
Today, the fourth annual G-FINDER survey tracking funding for research and development of neglected disease technologies was released. This year’s report shows that funding for product development is on the decline and product development partnerships (PDPs) have been particularly hard hit, as eight of the top twelve public donors cut their funding in 2010. Now is a time of tremendous opportunity, with dozens of potential products within the reach of patients–donors must commit to taking them across the finish line.
International TB Research Roadmap Launched!
A plan targeting researchers around the world and providing them with a framework to achieve the research objectives of the the Global Plan to Stop TB 2011-2015 and beyond, towards elimination of TB, was launched on Saturday at the Union World Conference on Lung Health.
Press Release! WHO Warns of Consequences of Underfunding TB
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports for the first time that the number of people falling ill with tuberculosis (TB) each year is declining. New data, published today in the WHO 2011 Global Tuberculosis Control Report, also show that the number of people dying from the disease fell to its lowest level in a decade.
Global Fund Round 11 Launched!
The Stop TB Partnership has provided information and references to help partners to prepare a successful proposal to The Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The call for Round 11 applications was released on August 15. Go to http://www.stoptb.org/global/tbfriends/ to get more information.
Posted in Early Drug Development, Front Lines of TB R&D, TB Drug Development, TB Treatment
TB R&D Weekly Update: Efflux and Rifampicin Resistance
This week we look again at the role of efflux pumps in resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs. Louw, et al., sought to “demonstrate that the level of rifampicin resistance is defined by efflux, which regulates the intracellular concentration of rifampicin.” This is a shift from the current thinking in the field that rifampicin resistance is solely the result of mutations in the rpoB gene. The article entitled “Rifampicin Reduces Susceptibility to Ofloxacin in Rifampicin Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis through Efflux” was published ahead of print in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Additional links to TB R&D News is included.
Posted in Action, Announcements, Events, TB News, TB Prevention and Control Strategies, TB Treatment
Call to Action–Save a million lives by 2015
On June 6, 2011, the Stop TB Partnership launched the initiative Time to Act–Save a Million Lives by 2015 at the UN Headquarters at a reception hosted by Ray Chambers, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Malaria and UN MDG Advocate. If you would like to respond to this call to action, visit www.action.org.
Stop TB Partnership’s Coordinating Board Meets in DC
Today was the opening of the 2-day Stop TB Partnership’s Coordinating Board (CB) meeting in Washington, D.C. which included welcoming remarks by Dr. Rajiv Shah (Administrator, USAID), Ms. Lois Quam (Executive Director, GHI), and Dr. Howard Koh (Assistant Secretary, U.S. Depart. of HHS).
Posted in Announcements, Funding Opportunities, TB Diagnostics, TB Drug Development, TB News
The 2010 G-Finder Report and TB R&D: A Changing Landscape
Our guest author, Paloma Luisi, Grants Specialist at the TB Alliance, provides an overview of the third annual G-Finder report, Neglected Disease Research and Development, that was released on February 16, 2011, as it relates to TB R&D.
Public Sector Has Significant Role in Drug Development
With government budget shortfalls and looming funding cuts, priorities across the public sector are being scrutinized especially with relation to scientific and medical research which represents only 2% of the total federal budget in the U.S. This month, two articles published in separate journals by different groups with different objectives address the role of the public sector in the development of pharmaceuticals. Both articles found that the public sector does have impact in this area especially for innovative drugs and biologics.
Posted in Front Lines of TB R&D, Funding Opportunities, TB Drug Development, TB News
New Gates Foundation Grant Opportunity–Tuberculosis Biomarkers
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is now accepting letters of inquiry for the new grant program Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis. Letters of inquiry are being accepted online until March 31, 2011 10:00 am PT.
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Toppix TB News- Editorial: Lives at risk if the U.S. shortchanges Global Fund 4 Feb 2012
- Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis - Update 3 Feb 2012
- Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis - Update 3 Feb 2012
- WHO says TB in Russia displays highest known drug resistance 3 Feb 2012
- Media outlets examine Global Fund's future as it enters second decade 3 Feb 2012
