New TB drug to halve treatment time

Cadila Pharmaceuticals holds the marketing rights for the drug

A professor at R N T Medical Collage in Udaipur has found that drug Immuvac can reduce the treatment time of tuberculosis (TB) by almost 50 per cent.

The drug was developed by the National Institute of Immunology is association with Cadila Pharmaceuticals for treatment of leprosy in 1998.

The drug is found to improve bacterial killing, when used as an adjunct to chemotherapy. The drug is being marketed by Cadila Pharmaceuticals in the country.

"'STOP TB,' a global alliance to prevent TB, has identified Immuvac useful in all types of TB and improves result significantly without any additional systemic side effects," said S K Luhadia, professor and head of department of chest and TB, R N T Medical Collage.

"Immuvac has found to be successful in 81 per cent of the cases. Initially, after India, we are planning to launch the drug in African countries followed by other parts of the world," said V Punya Kumar, general manager, marketing, Cadila Pharmaceuticals.

"The global market for anti-TB drugs is estimated to be over $650 million by 2010. In India, this market is estimated to be around Rs 1,000 crore, which includes Rs 350 crore in the retail segment and Rs 650 crore of institutional sales. There is a huge potential of marketing the drug in India as well abroad," said Kumar.

"The drug has been found very successful in treatment of TB. Where other drugs failed, Immuvac has found to be successful in 81 per cent of the cases. Initially, after successfully marketing the drug in India, we will be launching the drug in African countries and then we will market it across the world." Kumar added.

According to the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development website, since the introduction of an effective chemotherapy 50 years ago, the required treatment duration has been halved and treatment simplified through fixed-dose combinations.

Yet the standard four-and two-drug dosage must still be taken for six to nine months. This combination addresses the three separate properties of TB for effective treatment: antibacterial activity, resistance and persisting organisms.

According to World Health Organisation estimates, developing a new drug by 2010 would require an investment of up to $240 million.