Tuberculosis, a deadly disease and one of the main causes of death in HIV patients kills nearly 1.5 million people a year.
Tuberculosis deaths are on the rise in South Africa as there is a shortage of anti-TB drugs and people are not receiving timely treatment. Additionally, people often fail to complete the course of medications prescribed.
The new M72 vaccine trial aims to curb Tuberculosis progression, the vaccine targets latent TB cases. Latent cases are patients who are infected but non-symptomatic and non-contagious. The vaccine trial is a collaborative effort by the Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute and Wellcome Trust.
The study involves about 20,000 people over 60 sites, out of which 32 sites are located in South Africa. It is believed that the vaccine will prevent new cases by decreasing the number of latent patients. A vaccine suitable both for adults and adolescents is the only way to make any meaningful impact in decreasing the TB infection rates.
This is the first new vaccine that has shown some efficacy, which means protection, against adolescents and adults in early clinical trials. We are pretty confident that this is likely to be a positive result and we base that on results of the earlier efficacy study or phase 2B study as we call it, which show that 50% of people, so 1 out of 2 people that receive the vaccine should be protected against tuberculosis.Willem Hanekom, Director of Africa Health Research Institute, Running Vaccine Trials in Rural KwaZulu-Natal
The preliminary results have been promising with efficacy study showing 50% efficacy in the vaccine trials. According to the WHO, this measure of efficacy can save up to 8.5 million people and prevent nearly 76 million new cases from arising.
If the ongoing success holds, the vaccine will take about 5 more years in trials before being released to the public in 2030.
Inputs from various media sources
(Rehash/Yogeeta VH/SB)