Welcome to the Working Group on New TB Drugs Blog
TB R&D Update: 243rd American Chemistry Society Conference
The 243rd American Chemistry Society National Meeting and Exposition is being held in San Diego, California, from March 26 to March 29. There are several presentations on tuberculosis. Here are the abstracts of a few of the talks. The first item received news coverage and discusses two approved antibiotics that may prove effective in treating TB. Additional links to TB R&D News are included.
World TB Day! Overview of Events, News and Messages
Saturday, March 24, is officially World TB Day but there has been a stream of activities, publications, news and messages to let the world not forget about this major infectious disease killer that claims millions of lives each year. We present links and summaries of events, publications, messages, and news coverage leading up to World TB Day.
World TB Day Coverage: New Combo TB Drug Trial Announced
During the “Cure All: A briefing on the status of the most promising new TB drugs research” sponsored by the Critical Path to New TB Drug Regimens (CPTR) on Monday, March 19, Dr. Mel Spigelman, CEO & President, of TB Alliance announced the launch of the NC002 trial, a combination drug trial that establishes a new pathway to TB and multi-drug resistant TB treatment. The meeting also involved high-level officials from U.S. agencies that support TB research including Anthony Fauci (Director, NIAID/NIH), Janet Woodcock (Director, CDER/FDA), and Robert Clay (Deputy Assistant Administrator, Global Health Bureau/USAID).
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.
TB R&D Weekly Update: Zinc Used by Host to Fight TB
This week, we provide an brief overview of research supported by CNRS, INSERM, Institut Pasteur and other donors providing new evidence of the role of Zinc in the body’s immune response to intracellular infection by M.tb. and the microbe’s strategy to subvert this defense. Additional links to TB R&D news are included.
TB R&D Weekly Update: TB Drug Updates in Future Medicinal Chemistry
Last week we posted information about two special issues of Future Medicinal Chemistry focused on neglected diseases. Future Medicinal Chemistry (September 2011, Volume 3, Number 11) have a few articles on tuberculosis drug development. Additional links to TB R&D news are included.
Announcement: Promising TB vaccine candidate progresses to Phase I clinical trials
The MTBVAC01 vaccine candidate, developed to protect people against tuberculosis, will start Phase I clinical trials early in 2012. This was announced by the Spanish biopharmaceutical company Biofabri. The candidate was developed by the University of Zaragoza, Spain and is part of the international portfolio of TuBerculosis Vaccine Initiative (TBVI). Tuberculosis causes almost two million deaths per year.
Announcement: Dr. Peter Andersen Awarded Prestigious Scientific Prize
Dr. Peter Andersen, the Vice President of Vaccine Research and Development at Statens Serum Institut (SSI) and TBVI partner, has been awarded the prestigious Novo Nordisk prize for his work in TB vaccine development. The WGND interviewed Dr. Andersen for our TB R&D Weekly Update on March 8. Congratulations to Dr. Andersen! For full story, [...]
Posted in Front Lines of TB R&D, TB R&D Spotlight Interviews, TB Treatment, WGND Podcast Series
TB R&D Weekly Update: Podcast Interview with Peter Andersen
In this week”s TB R&D update, The WGND had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Andersen on a recent article entitled “A multistage tuberculosis vaccine that confers efficient protection before and after exposure” that we covered in a previous TB R&D Weekly Update. In the interview, Dr. Andersen provides an overview of his present research and the article, possible integration of a vaccine that protects pre- and post- exposure into TB treatment, and the challenges for TB vaccine development. Also, links to additional news in TB R&D are included.
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Toppix TB News- Calif. Man Is Criminally Charged to Force Compliance with Tuberculosis Treatment Plan 18 May 2012
- Indian Hospital patients share stories to help heal 17 May 2012
- West Springfield women honored for working with immigrants to prevent tuberculosis 15 May 2012
- MSF says additional resources needed to improve ART access in Burma 11 May 2012
- World disease fund gets added $1.6 bln shot in arm 9 May 2012
