TB bacteria formidable making research for new drugs challenging: Prof. V Nagaraja
Research on newer drugs to treat tuberculosis
is posing a serious challenge to scientists. This is primarily because the TB
bacteria is a formidable pathogen making it tough for researchers to develop
effective drugs. However, the only way to counter TB worldwide would be through
a vaccine and new drug strategy, said Prof. V Nagaraja, president, JNCASR and head
department of microbiology and cell biology, Indian Institute of Science.
In spite of access to funding from global
foundations and trusts like TB Alliance
and Bill-Melinda Gates Foundation
along with the efforts by Big Pharma, researchers are still grappling to
contain the disease. There is a TB vaccine trial underway in the EU. The need
of the hour is a therapeutic pathway with a preventive vaccine or a drug that
could shorten the duration of treatment and be able to tackle both multi-drug
resistant (MDR) and latent infections, he added.
There is considerable focus and interest to
discover drugs that effectively eradicate this infection. But the dormancy
factor of the disease with no accurate details makes it impossible to predict
the infection. This along nexus of HIV and MDR TB are seen to be a major
hindrance for scientists across the world and India to find the right treatment
option for this condition, Dr. Nararaja stated in his key note address at the Drug Discovery
India 2016 event organised by SelectBio here in Bengaluru.
Speaking on the topic ‘Targeting Topology
Modulators to Counter Resurgent Tuberculosis’, he said one-third of the world
population is diagnosed from the dreaded disease with 2 million fatalities
reported annually. The major impediment to possibly eradicate TB is that the
bacteria is difficult to tackle.
In the last 15 years, the emergence of MDR TB
is both extensive and total which is impacting both developing and developed
countries. The disease is now seen to affect every tissue in the body. In fact,
TB of other organs is another serious issue. There is no one drug to treat this
condition and the drug combination is proving to be MDR.
The key components for TB control in India
are to pursue high quality DOTS (directly observed treatment, short-course),
strengthen the primary healthcare system to address this disease onset, enable
research to find new chemical entities and novel drug targets, noted Dr.
Nagaraja.
Delving on the TB vaccination strategy, he
said that BCG was not effective in India and its efficacy was only partially
satisfied even in the Caucasian population. The way forward is a vaccine to
stall TB infections. Researchers need to focus on sterilising bacteria activity
and oral delivery medication with a novel mechanism action.
Pharma research is complicated on the one
hand and sophisticated on the other. However, India has attracted the top 50
global pharma companies in the country going by the access to qualified
research expertise. Even knowledge-based Ayurveda will bring out the best in
research for new drugs. There is need to strengthen partnerships to pursue
collaborations, said Rathnam Chaguturu, founder and CEO, iDD Partners, US and
conference chair at the Drug Discovery India 2016 event.
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