Next TB Vaccine Candidates.

Next TB Vaccine Candidates.

Pharma Fix: The quest for the next tuberculosis vaccine

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It primarily affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. TB is a major global health problem, with an estimated 10 million cases and 1.4 million deaths in 2019, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The current TB vaccine, Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), has been in use since 1921 and is the only vaccine currently available to prevent TB. However, BCG has limitations in its effectiveness, particularly against the most common form of TB in adults. As a result, there is a need for a new TB vaccine that can provide better protection against the disease.

There are currently several TB vaccine candidates in various stages of development. One promising candidate is the M72/AS01E vaccine, which has shown efficacy in a Phase IIb trial conducted in South Africa. The trial showed that the vaccine reduced the incidence of TB disease by 50% in HIV-negative adults with latent TB infection.

Another candidate is the H56:IC31 vaccine, which has shown promising results in preclinical studies and a Phase IIa trial in South Africa. The vaccine is currently undergoing Phase IIb trials in several countries.

Other TB vaccine candidates in development include a DNA vaccine, a viral vector vaccine, and a protein subunit vaccine. These candidates are still in the early stages of development and require further testing to determine their safety and efficacy.

Developing a new TB vaccine is a challenging task, as the bacterium that causes TB is particularly difficult to target. However, advances in vaccine technology and increased investment in TB vaccine research offer hope for the development of a more effective TB vaccine in the future.

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