Target regimen profiles for treatment of tuberculosis: a WHO document

Treatment of tuberculosis (TB) relies on a combination of bactericidal and sterilising drugs administered for an adequate duration of time to ensure synergy of action in order to achieve definitive cure and prevent the selection of drug-resistant mutants [1]. Current treatment regimens are, however, not ideal, due to long duration and some toxicity. Particularly unsatisfactory are regimens recommended for the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) (a form of tuberculosis with strains resistant to at least rifampicin and isoniazid) or extensively drug-resistant (XDR)-TB that have lower efficacy, significant toxicity, longer duration and high costs [2–5]. New TB drugs and regimens are needed to improve cure rates, lessen toxicity, and shorten the treatment of both drug-susceptible (DS) and drug-resistant TB (currently at least 6 and 9–20 months, respectively) [6, 7]. Two TB drugs (bedaquiline and delamanid) [8, 9] have become available and are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the treatment of MDR-TB under certain conditions [10, 11]. Newly launched WHO target regimen profiles for new anti-TB regimens: process and results of this initiative