Preferred product characteristics for therapeutic vaccines to improve tuberculosis treatment outcomes: Key considerations from World Health Organization consultations.

Preferred product characteristics for therapeutic vaccines to improve tuberculosis treatment outcomes: Key considerations from World Health Organization consultations. Vaccine. 2019 Nov 13;: Authors: Vekemans J, Brennan MJ, Hatherill M, Schrager L, Fritzell B, Rutkowski K, De Vos B, Zignol M, Thiry G, Ginsberg AM, Walker B Abstract Treating tuberculosis (TB) requires a multidrug course of treatment lasting 6 months, or longer for drug-resistant TB, which is difficult to complete and often not well tolerated. Treatment failure and recurrence after end-of-treatment can have devastating consequences, including progressive debilitation, death, the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis - the infectious agent responsible for causing TB - to others, and may be associated with the development of drug-resistant TB. The burden on health systems is important, with severe economic consequences. Vaccines have the potential to serve as immunotherapeutic adjuncts to antibiotic treatment regimens for TB. A therapeutic vaccine for TB patients, administered towards completion of a prescribed course of drug therapy or at certain time(s) during treatment, could improve outcomes through immune-mediated control and even clearance of bacteria, potentially prevent re-infection, and provide an opportunity to shorten and simplify drug treatment regimens. The preferred product characteristics (PPC) for therapeutic TB vaccines described in this document ...
Source: Vaccine - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Tags: Vaccine Source Type: research