UC San Diego researchers are using bacteriophages — viruses that kill bacteria — to fight antibiotic-resistant pathogens, a major threat to public health. 

New clinical trial results presented by TB Alliance at the Union World Conference on Lung Health show that the novel antibiotic candidate sorfequiline (TBAJ-876), a next-generation diarylquinoline, has the potential to improve tuberculosis (TB) treatment when combined with pretomanid and linezolid in a treatment regimen known as “SPaL.”

The NC-009 trial (a pan-Phase 2 clinical trial) showed that, overall, sorfequiline had greater activity than bedaquiline. The 100 mg SPaL regimen had greater activity against TB than the standard of care HRZE (isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol), indicating the potential to shorten treatment time for active TB. In addition, the SPaL regimen had a comparable safety profile to the standard of care for people with drug-sensitive TB (DS-TB).