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Joan Stephenson, PhD

JAMA. 2009;302(3):246.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

A new drug with a novel mechanism of action against tuberculosis infection shows promise for treating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), according to interim results in an ongoing phase 2, randomized placebo-controlled trial conducted by an international team of researchers (Diacon AH et al. N Engl J Med. 2009;360[23]:2397-2405).

The drug, TMC207, is a diarylquinoline that inhibits the enzyme adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase, disrupting the production of ATP, the molecule that serves as the energy currency of cells.

In the study, 47 individuals with newly diagnosed pulmonary MDR-TB were randomly assigned to receive a standard 5-drug, second-line anti-TB regimen plus either TMC207 (23 patients) or placebo (24 patients). By 8 weeks, the infection was cleared (demonstrated by conversion to a negative sputum culture) in 48% of those given TMC207 vs 9% of those receiving placebo.

The findings "show the potential of TMC207 in the treatment of patients with . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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