title: Dose-ranging activity of the newly registered antituberculosis drug bedaquiline (TMC207).
abstract: Evaluation of: Diacon AH, Dawson R, Von Groote-Bidlingmaier F et al. Randomized dose-ranging study of the 14-day early bactericidal activity of bedaquiline (TMC207) in patients with sputum microscopy smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 57(5), 2199-2203 (2013). During the past decade considerable efforts have been made to develop and register new anti-TB drugs, making them available for patients in need. Bedaquiline (BDQ), approved by the US FDA in December 2012, is the first new anti-TB drug available for treatment of this disease since rifampicin became available in 1967. BDQ has the peculiarity of being a drug with a very long half-life and potent antimicrobial activity that becomes noticeable only after the first 4 days of treatment. Consequently, Diacon et al. have conducted a 14-day dose-ranging study aimed at assessing the early bactericidal activity of BDQ in TB patients who received loading doses of the drug during the first 2 days of treatment. The loading doses partially overcame the delayed antimicrobial activity only in patients treated daily with as much as 400 mg.
authors.affiliation: Center for Tuberculosis Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1550 Orleans Street, CRB2 Suite 103, Baltimore, MD, USA. jgrosse4@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Jacques H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Grosset
authors.forename: Nicole C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Ammerman
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D011804:Quinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D011804:Quinolines