The World Health Organization (WHO) has convened a consultation aimed at accelerating progress in tuberculosis (TB) research through the establishment of a country-led, streamlined platform for clinical trials in TB treatment. The meeting report is available here . The two-day event brought together representatives from countries with high burden of TB, including Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, the Russian Federation and South Africa, along with experts in clinical trials, regulatory agencies and community representatives.
The primary goal of the meeting was to discuss critical gaps in TB treatment research and promote collaboration among stakeholders. WHO presented the concept of a country-led and WHO-supported platform for TB treatment trials. Participants discussed the scope of clinical research in different countries to identify critical needs the TB trial platform could address. The discussions focused on developing a pragmatic and streamlined trial platform to evaluate new and improved TB treatment regimens that are shorter, safer and more effective for diverse patient populations.
Participants emphasized the urgent need to tackle drug-susceptible TB, which affects the majority of TB patients worldwide. The research community and representatives of affected communities showed strong support for this initiative. Additionally, there was a renewed political commitment from the countries to support these efforts.
"This platform will represent a paradigm shift in TB research," said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO's Global Tuberculosis Programme. "By leveraging pragmatic and streamlined trial design strategies and pooling resources across nations, the initiative is poised to deliver transformative results."
Next steps include the formation of an advisory group and the appointment of a clinical trial sponsor. WHO will establish a TB Treatment Trial Platform Advisory Group to guide the identification of priority interventions and development of a trial design. This group will ensure alignment with both global and national health priorities. A clinical trial sponsor will be selected to oversee the first wave of trial, ensuring operational rigor while adhering to the highest ethical and clinical standards.
