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TB Alliance: New Potential TB Drugs to be Investigated Against Multiple Neglected Diseases
New York, United States and Geneva, Switzerland — July 7, 2010 The TB Alliance and Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) announced today a unique first-ever royalty-free license agreement between two not-for-profit drug developers that speeds progress toward markedly improved therapy of multiple neglected diseases.
This Week in TB R&D – 29 June 2010
By far, one of the greatest needs in TB R&D is the identification of biomarkers. The value of biomarkers cannot be overemphasized. Briefly, we will highlight what biomarkers are, how they are used, and describe their importance and potential for significant impact for TB drug discovery.
This Week in TB R&D – 1 June 2010
A team of researchers led by Rainer Kalscheuer and Bill Jacobs at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York recently published a paper titled “Self-poisoning of M. tuberculosis by targeting GlgE in an alpha-glucan pathway” in Nature Chemical Biology (2010, vol 6, pg 376). From the perspective of basic biology, the work represents the first time a biosynthetic pathway from the disaccharide trehalose to alpha-glucan, a polysaccharide with several potential functions, has been described.
The Week in TB R&D – 27 April 2010
In a post a few weeks ago, we highlighted HeroRats, African-pouch rats, and their use for TB diagnoses. As described in that article, these rats are trained to distinguish positive TB samples verses negative TB samples presumably due to the release of volatile organic compounds (VOC) produced by M. tb. Not surprisingly, review of the [...]
This week in TB R&D – 12 April 2010
On April 6th, the New York Academy of Sciences hosted a mini-symposium entitled ‘Tuberculosis: Novel Therapies through Knowledge of the Genetics of the Causative Agent.’ The five research scientists who presented were: William R. Jacobs, Jr. (Albert Einstein College of Medicine), Christopher Sassetti (University of Massachusetts Medical School), Dirk Schnappinger (Weill Cornell Medical College), Helena [...]
May 2010 issue of IJTLD now available online
The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IJTLD) is the official publication of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union). The latest issue (May 2010) is now available online.
This Week in TB R&D – 5 April 2010
Many antibiotics used today to fight and control M. tb infection target cell wall synthesis or DNA replication, and related pathogen growth mechanisms. A recent report by Zhou et al. in PNAS at the beginning of year, suggested an alternate mechanism for M. tb elimination; targeting MptpB, a mycobacterium specific protein tyrosine phosphatase.
This Week in TB R&D – 30 March 2010
The use of animal models for drug discovery is indisputable. However, the use of animal models as viable diagnostic tools is still relatively novel, especially for TB detection.
Impact of the CPTR Initiative
After a decades-long drought, new pharmaceutical discoveries and repurposing of existing antimicrobials have produced about 10 drugs from 7 different classes which are now in various stages of clinical development for TB.
Launch of the Critical Path to TB Drug Regimens
Today marks the launch of an exciting new initiative in TB R&D. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has supported the Critical Path to TB Drug Regimens (CPTR). The CPTR comprises a broad collaborative network of partners including pharmaceutical companies, government, academia, and advocates, and NGOs with the focus to accelerate the development of new, safe, and highly effective shorter length TB treatment regimens.
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Toppix TB News- Isoniazid resistance and death in patients with tuberculous meningitis: retrospective cohort study. 8 Sep 2010
- Global Fund needs U.S. support 8 Sep 2010
- New park memorializes ORC 7 Sep 2010
- Experimental TB test called fast, accurate 7 Sep 2010
- People with diabetes up to 2-3 times higher risk of TB 7 Sep 2010
