Triumph and Tragedy of 21st Century Tuberculosis Drug Development

Since the discovery of the first antituberculosis drugs 75 years ago, the pursuit of a short, effective, and affordable regimen that has acceptable side effects and is capable of curing most patients most of the time has been a major public health priority. Such a “pan-tuberculosis” regimen is seen by many as essential in reducing the global tuberculosis burden.1 The successful development of two new antituberculosis drugs — bedaquiline and pretomanid — represents an important step forward in the pursuit of pan-tuberculosis regimens fit for the 21st century. Conradie and colleagues now report in the Journal that when this all-oral . . .