Scientists from the Center for Infectious Disease Research, the biggest independent nonprofit based in the U.S. that specializes in research for infectious diseases, has partnered with GlaxoSmithKline’s Tres Cantos Open Lab Foundation to advance treatments for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb).
The research suggests that scientists may be able to use antifolates as a candidate for ongoing discoveries for tuberculosis (TB) drugs. There are 2,508 potential antifolates, or compounds that can inhibit production of folic acid as well as kill cells. The scientists have created a library of all of these antifolates. Then they tested these compounds against live Mtb to watch the activity.
“With tuberculosis killing 1.5 million people every year and current drugs diminishing in their effectiveness, this antifolate research is critical for finding new ways to treat TB,” David Sherman, a professor at the Center for Infectious Disease Research, said.
The studies show that there are 17 active compounds that are more efficient, but there is just one antifolate that is especially effective in treating Mtb.
”The partnership with GSK was critical to the success of this project,” Sherman said. “We thought we could identify antifolates with strong activity on Mtb, but we needed to collaborate with a leading edge pharmaceutical company to actually find them.”
