January 5, 2024 | Aastha Gupta, Sandeep Juneja, Victor Babawale, Nurov Rustam Majidovich, Norbert Ndjeka, Phuong Thi Mai Nguyen, Pargieva Nargiza Nusratovna, David Robert Omanito, Tiffany Tiara Pakasi, Yana Terleeva, Atyrkul Toktogonova, Yasir Waheed, Zaw Myint, Zhao Yanlin, Suvanand Sahu
The study projects the global adoption of 6-month drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) regimens, specifically the BPaLM regimen, by 2026. The WHO has recommended this all-oral regimen, which includes pretomanid, bedaquiline, and linezolid, as an alternative to longer, more complex regimens. The study aims to guide global health stakeholders in planning and budgeting for DR-TB interventions and estimating the cost of individual components over time.
Methods involved semi-structured interviews with national TB program participants in key countries to gather intelligence on established plans and targets for various DR-TB treatment regimens from 2023 to 2026. These data informed the development of global projections for regimen and drug use.
Results show a consistent global growth in the use of shorter regimens, with BPaLM projected to reach 126,792 patients, BPaL 43,716 patients, and the 9-11-month all-oral bedaquiline-based regimen 13,119 patients by 2026. The longer all-oral regimen is expected to be used by 19,262 patients, and individualised treatment regimens by 15,344 patients.
The study concludes that BPaLM will be used in the majority of DR-TB patients by 2024, reaching 78% by 2026. However, national efforts to scale up, case-finding, monitoring, drug-susceptibility testing, and implementation of new treatments are essential to ensure accessibility and meet goals for ending TB. The study also highlights the need for community engagement and capacity building.The study projects the global adoption of 6-month drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) regimens, specifically the BPaLM regimen, by 2026. The WHO has recommended this all-oral regimen, which includes pretomanid, bedaquiline, and linezolid, as an alternative to longer, more complex regimens. The study aims to guide global health stakeholders in planning and budgeting for DR-TB interventions and estimating the cost of individual components over time.
Methods involved semi-structured interviews with national TB program participants in key countries to gather intelligence on established plans and targets for various DR-TB treatment regimens from 2023 to 2026. These data informed the development of global projections for regimen and drug use.
Results show a consistent global growth in the use of shorter regimens, with BPaLM projected to reach 126,792 patients, BPaL 43,716 patients, and the 9-11-month all-oral bedaquiline-based regimen 13,119 patients by 2026. The longer all-oral regimen is expected to be used by 19,262 patients, and individualised treatment regimens by 15,344 patients.
The study concludes that BPaLM will be used in the majority of DR-TB patients by 2024, reaching 78% by 2026. However, national efforts to scale up, case-finding, monitoring, drug-susceptibility testing, and implementation of new treatments are essential to ensure accessibility and meet goals for ending TB. The study also highlights the need for community engagement and capacity building.