Drug combo speeds up TB treatment

In a breakthrough, scientists have found that a new combination of drugs can cure drug-resistant TB in as little as four months, instead of two years.
The drug combination, known as PaMZ, killed more bacteria than standard treatment and was effective in treating drug-resistant tuberculosis, according to results of the study presented at the International AIDS conference here.
"This shows its potential to shorten therapy for drug-sensitive and some forms of multi-drug-resistant TB," said Dr Mel Spigelman, chief executive of the New York-based Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) which created the drug combination.
"Seventy-one per cent of people treated with PaMZ were cleared of bacteria at the end of two months when evaluated with the most sensitive diagnostic methods available," researchers said.

"Only 38 per cent of people treated with standard therapy were clear at eight weeks," they said.
PaMZ is a three-drug regimen including two candidate drugs not licensed for use against TB. PA-824 (Pa) and moxifloxacin (M), and one existing antibiotic used in TB treatment, pyrazinamide (Z), 'abc.Net.Au' reported.
Earlier study results show PaMZ's potential to treat both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant patients and to dramatically shorten treatment times for some patients.
The third phase of the clinical drug trial, which could start by the end of this year, will span some 50 study sites across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.