Government to roll out ‘miracle drug’ treatment for resistant TB

The government is all set to roll out a 'miracle drug' treatment to battle multi-drug resistant tuberculosis MDR-TB, and extensively-drug resistant TB (XDR-TB), in six public hospitals across the country.

The move, under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme, forms part of a co-ordinated programme between the government and Johnson & Johnson, whose pharma arm Janssen makes the drug.

'Bedaquiline' (trade name Sirturo), as the drug is named, is said to be the first in decades to have a potential to dramatically improve MDR-TB treatment outcomes, and reduce the number of deaths from the disease.

This is probably the first instance of a multinational partnering with the government to roll out a drug, and comes with the disease spreads rapidly.

India, the world's TB epicentre accounts for around 23 per cent of global cases and most deaths - 220,000 in 2014 - from the bacterial lung disease that spreads through coughing and sneezing. The number of TB patients in India is estimated at 2.2 million, with over 70,000 MDR-TB patients.

"We are ready with the roll-out of the drug through the government-run control programme, for which 600 patients will be enrolled across the country, over the next six to nine months, after the required tests. Upon the review of clinical data after two years, the access programme will be expanded nationwide," Sanjiv Navangul, Janssen India MD told the Times of India in an interview.

Bedqauiline would be made available in six public hospitals in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Guwahati and Ahmedabad.

India has the highest incidence of the disease tuberculosis in the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in Global Tuberculosis Report 2015, for the year 2014 that the estimated deaths due to TB in India numbered 2,20,000 which was higher than any other country.