Abstract

RECENT ADVANCES IN TUBERCULOSIS THERAPY: A REVIEW OF EMERGING TREATMENT REGIMEN

Badisa Bhavani*, Shaik Arshiya Kowser, Kosanam Evangil, Kara Amulya and Kantamaneni Padmalatha

ABSTRACT

Even with advanced treatments, tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a significant worldwide health issue. Although the illness itself presents challenges, individuals are further affected by the side effects of TB therapies (anti-tubercular therapy, or ATT) and the length of treatment. The current shorter treatment cycles are still excessively long, making it difficult for patients to adhere to the treatment plan. As a result, there is a need for novel TB medicines that are highly effective, safe, and short-acting. Such treatments would minimize costs, reduce adverse effects, and increase patient compliance, resulting in better outcomes. In India, drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a significant problem. The long treatment durations, the large number of tablets that patients must take, and the frequent occurrence of negative drug side effects make managing this severe form of tuberculosis challenging. A new treatment guideline for multi-drug resistant/rifampicin-resistant TB (MDR/RR-TB) was announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2022. The new guideline's main update is the recommendation for a 6-month treatment regimen that includesbedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid (at 600 mg), and moxifloxacin (BPaLM), rather than previous extended regimens that lasted nine months or more. This novel medication option has been approved for the treatment of most pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis, with the exception of some hazardous forms such TB affecting the central nervous system, miliary tuberculosis, and osteoarticular tuberculosis.

Keywords: DR-TB treatment; RR/MDR TB; BPaLM; Shorter regimen.