title: Biomarkers for TB treatment response: challenges and future strategies.
abstract: Currently the ultimate success of anti-TB therapy is measured by the relapse rate within the first 2 years after treatment. The long duration of clinical trials that rely on this outcome constitute a disincentive for the pharmaceutical industry to develop new TB drugs. Biomarkers for relapse measurable during early treatment may shorten clinical trials. Additionally pre-treatment markers could allow stratification of patients into groups with different treatment requirements for improved clinical management. Currently there is a lack of sufficiently validated biomarkers with good individual predictive value and an urgent need for candidate markers and their evaluation in prospective studies. This review provides an overview of novel biomarkers for TB treatment response and outcome focusing on immunological markers in serum. Additionally, the challenges and roadblocks biomarker research is currently faced with are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: NRF/DST Centre of Excellence for TB Biomedical Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. gwalzl@sun.ac.za
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walzl
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ronacher
authors.forename: Joel Fleury
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Djoba Siawaya
authors.forename: Hazel M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Dockrell
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D015195:Drug Design; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007167:Immunotherapy; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D032581:Tuberculosis Vaccines / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D032581:Tuberculosis Vaccines