World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is marked annually on 24 March, the anniversary of the discovery of the causative mycobacterium by Dr. Robert Koch. The day aims to raise awareness about the devastating health, social, and economic consequences of the disease. It is one of the leading causes of death from an infectious agent, and therefore, efforts are very much needed to eradicate the infection. This year’s theme – ‘Yes, we can end TB!’- conveys the message that there is hope in making this a possibility. Focusing on prevention and early diagnosis are key to achieving this goal. Vaccines in late-stage development hold promise in containing the disease burden, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

According to GlobalData, there are 11 vaccines in late-stage development* for TB globally. These include the Gamaleya Federal Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology’s GamTBvac and the University of Zaragoza’s MTBVAC, both of which are currently in Phase III development and have demonstrated positive safety and efficacy results in clinical trials.

Anaelle Tannen, Infectious Disease Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Progress in this area has the potential to save countless lives as well as reduce the health and socio-economic burden associated with this disease.”

TB remains a global pandemic, with 1.8 billion people estimated to be infected with the bacteria, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease exists in both a latent and active form; the latent type does not express any symptoms and is not transmissible unless it develops into the active type. The lifetime risk of this is about 5-10% for latently infected persons. Symptoms of active TB include a chronic cough and bloody mucus, amongst others. Antibiotics are typically administered for a minimum of six months, and ensuring the course is completed is vital to prevent antibiotic resistance.

Tannen adds: “Prevention and early diagnosis are key to stopping the ongoing spread of the disease. The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is currently the only prophylactic on the market. It is given to babies in countries where TB is common. In areas where TB is less common, it is only given to those at high risk, including those that are more likely to be exposed to the bacterium.”

The BCG vaccine is up to 80% effective at preventing TB infection for up to 15 years in young children and thus has huge beneficial effects. However, it provides poor protection against pulmonary TB in adolescents and adults. Therefore, there is a need for updated and improved prophylactic vaccines.

Tannen concludes: “Governments worldwide must come together to combat this deadly disease. Increased investment, improved awareness, and adoption of WHO recommendations are essential to reduce the burden of TB over time.”

*Includes vaccines in Phase II, Phase III and the Pre-registration stage of development