Breakthrough- Researchers develop new inhaler for tuberculosis treatment

In a major treatment breakthrough, scientists have developed a novel treatment for tuberculosis (TB).

The researchers at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland(RCSI) have developed a new treatment, which patients will take using an inhaler and will work by reducing the bacteria in the lungs that causes tuberculosis while also helping the patient's immune system fight the disease. The research was published in the European Journal of Pharmaceutics & Biopharmaceutics.

"Many cases of TB are now becoming resistant to existing antibiotics. This new treatment could be used alongside antibiotics to treat drug-resistant TB and also possibly reduce the rate of antibiotic resistance resulting from conventional antibiotic treatments," said Prof Cryan, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutics in RCSI School of Pharmacy and the study's senior author.

Using a spray-drying process, the researchers packaged atRA within safe-for-consumption particles that are small enough to use in an inhaler. These particles efficiently delivered the treatment and significantly reduced tuberculosis-causing bacteria and associated lung damage, which supports their potential for clinical testing.

"Unfortunately, tuberculosis remains a significant problem for world health. We urgently need innovative treatments like this one if we are to achieve the UN 2030 health targets," said Prof Keane, Professor at Trinity College Dublin School of Medicine and Consultant Respiratory Physician in St James's Hospital.

There is only one vaccine for tuberculosis, developed in 1921. It is unreliable in preventing the most common form of TB and is not suitable for all patient groups. The vaccine works best against specific forms of TB and is usually given to infants in at-risk populations.

Tuberculosis is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) data show that 10 million people fell ill with TB and 1.6 million died from the disease in 2017. WHO estimates that there were 558,000 new cases with resistance to the most effective first-line antibiotic. Of those resistant to the drug, 82% were resistant to multiple antibiotics.

For full information log on to http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2018.10.020