TB Alliance and Tibotec Announce Collaboration to Accelerate Tuberculosis Drug Development
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A new collaboration between the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance), a not-for-profit, product development partnership, and Tibotec Inc., (Tibotec), a global pharmaceutical company, has been announced at the Pacific Health Summit in response to the urgent need to accelerate the discovery and development of new drugs to fight tuberculosis (TB).
The two organizations will share their expertise and resources in the development of TMC207, which could become the first TB drug with a new mechanism of action in 40 years.
The interim data from an ongoing Phase II study of TMC207 were recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In the placebo-controlled study of 47 patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), it was found that 48 percent of patients receiving TMC207 in combination with standard treatment converted to negative sputum culture after eight weeks compared with 9 percent of those who received placebo and standard treatment.
“We see tremendous potential in this collaboration and in the future of TMC207 as part of a critically-needed new TB regimen,” said Dr. Mel Spigelman, TB Alliance President and CEO. “Since the TB Alliance was founded, we have assembled the largest pipeline of new TB drugs in history, but this progress is only possible with the commitment of our partners. Tibotec has tremendous scientific prowess, a commitment to fighting infectious diseases, and is an essential long-term partner in our fight to end one of the greatest epidemics of our time.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Tibotec will continue to develop TMC207 for the treatment of MDR-TB, and on approval, will establish an access program to ensure the compound reaches those in developing countries who are in need. The agreement grants the TB Alliance a royalty-free license for the worldwide development and access to TMC207 in the field of drug-susceptible TB.
In addition, Tibotec will collaborate with the TB Alliance on a discovery research program to identify new compounds for the treatment of TB. The rights for the newly discovered compounds for the treatment of tuberculosis will belong to the TB Alliance under a royalty free license. Costs for the development of TMC207 will be shared.
Ben Plumley, Vice President of Global Access and Partnerships said, “The future of successfully tackling neglected diseases, such as TB, will be through joint development initiatives between companies and product development partnerships, such as the one we are announcing today with the TB Alliance.”
The two organizations will share their expertise and resources in the development of TMC207, which could become the first TB drug with a new mechanism of action in 40 years.
The interim data from an ongoing Phase II study of TMC207 were recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In the placebo-controlled study of 47 patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), it was found that 48 percent of patients receiving TMC207 in combination with standard treatment converted to negative sputum culture after eight weeks compared with 9 percent of those who received placebo and standard treatment.
“We see tremendous potential in this collaboration and in the future of TMC207 as part of a critically-needed new TB regimen,” said Dr. Mel Spigelman, TB Alliance President and CEO. “Since the TB Alliance was founded, we have assembled the largest pipeline of new TB drugs in history, but this progress is only possible with the commitment of our partners. Tibotec has tremendous scientific prowess, a commitment to fighting infectious diseases, and is an essential long-term partner in our fight to end one of the greatest epidemics of our time.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Tibotec will continue to develop TMC207 for the treatment of MDR-TB, and on approval, will establish an access program to ensure the compound reaches those in developing countries who are in need. The agreement grants the TB Alliance a royalty-free license for the worldwide development and access to TMC207 in the field of drug-susceptible TB.
In addition, Tibotec will collaborate with the TB Alliance on a discovery research program to identify new compounds for the treatment of TB. The rights for the newly discovered compounds for the treatment of tuberculosis will belong to the TB Alliance under a royalty free license. Costs for the development of TMC207 will be shared.
Ben Plumley, Vice President of Global Access and Partnerships said, “The future of successfully tackling neglected diseases, such as TB, will be through joint development initiatives between companies and product development partnerships, such as the one we are announcing today with the TB Alliance.”
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