Nanoformulations and Clinical Trial Candidates as Probably Effective and Safe Therapy for Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is the main infectious disease causing 1.8 million deaths worldwide every year and represents a principal cause of mortality resulting from a bacterial infection. The emergence of multidrug-resistant strains and lack of effective anti-TB drugs are threatening the future control of TB. The present multidrug regimen against TB needs daily administration for at least 6 months, and patients often fail to follow this complex regimen for such a long interval, thus leading to patient non-compliance and treatment related side effects. To avoid daily dosing, application of nanotechnology is a promising solution by virtue of sustained drug release. Nanotechnology-based rational targeting may improve therapeutic success by limiting adverse drug effects and requiring less frequent administration regimens, ultimately resulting in higher patient compliance, and thus attain higher adherence levels. Today, the pipeline of potential new treatments consists of several compounds in clinical trials or preclinical development with promising activities against sensitive and resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. Encapsulation of existing anti-TB drugs into nano-delivery systems and introduction of new drugs in combination treatment for all forms of tuberculosis have resulted in novel treatments with more effectiveness and reduced side effects.

Keywords
Tuberculosis; Nanotechnology; Anti-tuberculosis drugs; Nano carriers; Rifampicin