As the global TB drug development community pushes forward to find new drug candidates and develop novel regimens to combat the TB epidemic, we'd like to highlight some updates in the field, WGND activities, and upcoming events in 2018.
- An Interactive Civil Society Hearing was held on June 4th in preparation of the High-level Meeting on the fight against Tuberculosis. The statement by the president of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly is available.
- UNITAID has put out a call for proposals: seeking projects to fight Tuberculosis and its drug-resistant strains.
- Dr. Amina Jindani, a globally recognised specialist in the field of Tuberculosis research, received the Ibn Sina Award for Excellence in Health in April 2018.
- Novel anti-TB compound PBTZ-169 began Phase 1 trial with new formulation and new name "Macozinone" in Switzerland this year.
- Outsuka Pharmaceutical announced in March 2018 that Delamanid has been approved in China for the treatment of Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis.
- Novel anti-TB compound TBI-166 has advanced to Phase 1 trial in January 2018.
- A new laboratory resource handbook was published for support of TB clinical trials
- WGND representatives participated and presented at:
- Challenges and new concepts in antibiotics research, March 19-21, Paris, France
- Keystone Symposia, Tuberculosis: Translating Scientific Findings for Clinical and Public Health Impact, April 15 - 19, Whistler, Canada
Upcoming Events in 2018:
- UN General Assembly holding high-level meeting on TB to take place 26 September 2018
- 2018 WGND Annual Meeting is being planned to occur the week of October 23rd in The Hague, Netherlands. Further details will be disseminated soon.