Every four months
One injection of a tuberculosis drug replaces 4 months of taking pills
Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+
Scientists have created an injectable delivery system for the drug rifabutin, which will allow the patient to forget about the pills for at least four months. Currently, for the effective treatment of tuberculosis, a systematic daily intake of drugs is necessary. The new system itself gradually throws into the body the necessary amount of the drug from the subcutaneous implant, which is formed as a result of injection. The solution will significantly reduce the percentage of resistance to rifabutin due to improper administration of pills with it and, in general, greatly simplify the treatment of tuberculosis.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists have recorded an increased increase in tuberculosis mortality due to the temporary redistribution of priorities of the healthcare system. This problem allowed scientists from The University of North Carolina to develop an approach to provide TB treatment with long-term effect.
The team presented an injectable delivery system for the drug rifabutin, which has already been approved for the treatment of tuberculosis. The fundamental difference is that such a drug administration allows for a long-term effect: the effect of one injection persists for at least four months.
Currently, patients are forced to take medications daily. As is known, non-compliance with strict admission regimens can reduce the effectiveness of treatment, increase its duration and lead to the development of resistance, the authors specify.
Rifabutin was combined with biodegradable polymers and non-toxic solvents that allow the drug to harden in the body after subcutaneous injection. They also added a compound to increase the amount of active substance.
In mouse models, it was shown that the implant slowly decomposed over 16 weeks, gradually releasing the drug. In healthy mice, such treatment prevented infection, and in rodents with tuberculosis eliminated infection from the lungs and other tissues.
Scientists have not recorded any side effects. In any case, if they occur, the implant can be removed, they explain.
"This approach can radically change the treatment of tuberculosis and be used in the fight against the disease around the world," commented co—author Martina Kovarova. Now scientists are planning to conduct clinical trials.
Article by Kim et al. A long-acting formulation of rifabutin is effective for prevention and treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis published in the journal Nature Communications – VM.
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