TB is one of the leading causes of death from infectious disease worldwide, claiming over 5,000 lives every day – more than ever before. Existing TB therapies are effective but treatment regimes are complicated and prolonged, which means patients may give up treatment once the symptoms are no longer apparent but before the infection is fully treated. This may lead to relapse and makes drug resistance more likely.
Finding new treatments for TB is a complex process. New drugs need to be compatible with established TB agents, and also appropriate for use with HIV/AIDS therapies because TB is the biggest killer of people infected with HIV (TB and HIV/AIDS form a lethal combination, each speeding the other’s progress).
To enhance our ability to participate in the global effort to identify new therapies
for TB, in 2003 we opened a purpose-built, state-of-the-art, dedicated TB research centre at our Bangalore site in India. Over 80 scientists there work closely with our infection research centre in Boston, Massachusetts, US, as well as with external academic leaders in the field, and they have full access to all AstraZeneca’s platform technologies such as high-throughput screening and compound libraries. Our work is focused on fi nding new therapies that will act on drug-resistant strains, shorten the duration of treatment, eradicate disease
(including the latent form) to reduce the chances of relapse, and be compatible
with HIV/AIDS therapies. As their experience in this challenging area of research expands, our scientists are increasingly able to make swifter, better decisions to maintain a focus on the highest-quality, highest-potential new molecules. However, our determination to progress only the best opportunities, coupled with our growing understanding of the requirements for an effective agent, has caused us to set very high hurdles for development candidates – which is having
an impact on our timelines. We had hoped to have a candidate drug (CD) for introduction into human studies during 2007/2008, but the stringent criteria that we have set for success within this complex area of research means that our current programmes are some three to four years away from CD delivery. We have therefore revised our KPI in this area to delivery not earlier than 2010.
Backed by their ever-increasing knowledge, our scientists continue to drive progress of these programmes and build a robust portfolio of compounds with high potential to deliver signifi cant advances in the treatment of TB.
Once a candidate drug is found, we expect to establish a route for its development in consultation with regulatory authorities and external experts such as the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development. We will apply for patent protection in the normal way but, importantly, we will seek partnership arrangements with the appropriate global and local organisations to make treatment available at affordable prices to those who need it in the poorest countries.
Alongside this ongoing research programme, we continue to expand our efforts to help local communities in the developing world strengthen their healthcare capabilities. Click here to find out more. |