No More Tuberculosis! Russian Firm Creates Breakthrough Anti-TB Drug

On World Tuberculosis Day, which is observed every year on March 24, a Russian company announced the release of a new treatment of one of the most deadly infectious diseases.

Skolkovo-based biotechnology company Infectex has revealed a ground-breaking, highly efficient anti- tuberculosis drug, SQ109. The drug has just recently passed all the requisite clinical trials in Russia. It has also passed a few clinical trials in the US and Africa, but the further tests there are still ongoing.

SQ109 is a small molecule called 1.2-Ethylenediamine, which has three unique mechanisms which differentiate it from other antibiotics that are used to treat tuberculosis.

The current drug that's being used to treat TB was created over 40 years ago, but the disease remains a threat in many countries, including Russia. The one developed by the Skolkovo company has proved its higher efficiency, according to the Skolkovo press release received by Sputnik.

SQ109 enhances the activity of anti-TB drugs, such as isoniaside, rifampicine and bedaquiline, and shortens the time spent for curing experimental tuberculosis in mice by over 30%. SQ109 could replace one or several anti-TB drugs currently being used, simplify therapy, and shorten the treatment period.

In laboratory studies, SQ109 demonstrated high efficacy against tuberculosis-causing mycobacteria, including strains that were resistant to current treatments.

"The test proved that by the end of the sixth month, in combination with standard therapy, the frequency of cessation of bacterial excretion in SQ109 PP group increased to 80% compared with the standard therapy regimen plus placebo (61%). It is equally important that SQ109 demonstrated its safety and high tolerability," said Professor Sergey Borisov, the chief researcher and the deputy director for Scientific and Clinical Work of the Moscow Municipal Scientific and Practical Centre for Tuberculosis Control of the Department of Health of Moscow.

Now, the developers aim is to bring the drug to patients as soon as possible in order to increase treatment efficacy and to save thousands of lives not only in Russia, but throughout the world.