Tuberculosis: Pathogenesis, Current Treatment Regimens and New Drug Targets

Area of Science:

• Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
• Drug Discovery and Development
• Public Health

Background:

• * *Mycobacterium tuberculosis* (TB) infects a quarter of the global population, often remaining latent until immune compromise.
• * Drug-sensitive TB requires a 6-month regimen, while drug-resistant strains necessitate longer, more toxic, and expensive treatments.
• * The development of new anti-TB drugs has been slow, with only three novel agents approved in the last decade.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To review the pathogenesis of *Mycobacterium tuberculosis*.
• * To discuss current treatment protocols and challenges in TB control.
• * To highlight promising small molecules as new anti-TB drug candidates targeting novel pathways.

Main Methods:

• * Literature review of TB pathogenesis, treatment, and drug development.
• * Analysis of current clinical and preclinical anti-TB drug candidates.
• * Identification of novel protein targets in *M. tuberculosis*.

Main Results:

• * Emergence of drug-resistant TB strains poses a significant global health threat.
• * Limited pipeline of new anti-TB drugs with novel mechanisms of action.
• * Several small molecules show promise in preclinical and clinical studies.

Conclusions:

• * Effective TB control requires addressing pathogenesis, treatment adherence, and drug resistance.
• * Novel drug candidates targeting new protein targets are crucial for combating TB.
• * Continued research and development are essential to overcome TB treatment challenges.