TB Alliance and GlaxoSmithKline Launch Broad Discovery Portfolio to Develop New TB Therapies

23-Mar-2005

The Global Alliance for TB drug development (TB Alliance) and GlaxoSmithKline announced they will pursue a joint drug discovery program to improve the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). The program substantially enhances the worldwide TB drug pipeline by adding several novel classes of compounds that use new mechanisms of action.

The joint research program consists of a portfolio of four projects intended to yield new compounds that attack Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) on multiple levels. Drug candidates arising from these projects could shorten the treatment time for patients with TB and, because of their novel mechanisms of action, treat patients who are resistant to conventional therapies. These compounds will also be screened for their ability to be used simultaneously with HIV/AIDS treatments, known as antiretrovirals (ARVs). TB is a leading cause of death among people living with HIV/AIDS, but today simultaneous TB-HIV treatment is extremely difficult due to drug-drug interactions between some ARVs and current TB drugs.

The research program includes the pleuromutilins, a novel class of antibiotics, and two target-based projects, isocitrate lyase (Icl) and InhA. The fourth project will screen GSK's antimicrobial libraries for novel compounds that have the ability to kill M. tb. The program will be overseen by a Joint Steering Committee and is based at GSK's Tres Cantos, Spain facility, dedicated to the Diseases of the Developing World. The TB Alliance will help support 25 full-time scientists working exclusively on the TB drug program. GSK agrees to absorb all remaining overhead costs for the associated projects. GSK will also contribute a matching number of staff as well as its drug discovery expertise. The agreement stipulates that any resulting medicines will be affordable and accessible to those most in need.

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/44593/tb-alliance-and-glaxosmithkline-launch-broad-discovery-portfolio-to-develop-new-tb-therapies.html