Jyoti M. Benni
Tuberculosis (TB) remains the single most infectious disease causing the highest mortality in humans. India is the highest TB burden country according to World Health Organization (WHO) statistics for 2011. The previous studies in India showed that 3% of multi drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) is seen in new tuberculosis cases and 17.2% among retreatment cases. The alarming increase in MDR-TB and the emergence of extensively drug resistant TB(XDR-TB) are man-made snags; therefore new drugs for the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis are obligatory.On 28thDecember 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved bedaquiline (TMC207), as part of combination therapy to treat adults with MDR-TB when other alternatives are not available. Bedaquiline, a diarylquinoline has a unique mechanism of action and acts as a promising new agent in patients with MDR-TB.
