US researchers have developed a new experimental therapeutic vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) that is administered through the nose and uses DNA-based technology, demonstrating promising results in preclinical animal studies.
The study, conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health, found that the vaccine accelerated the elimination of tuberculosis bacteria, reduced lung inflammation and helped prevent the disease from recurring after treatment when used alongside standard anti-TB medications.
According to the researchers, the vaccine targets a form of tuberculosis bacteria known as persistent bacteria, which can survive in the body despite treatment with antibiotics. These drug-tolerant bacteria are considered one of the main challenges in achieving complete eradication of the infection and preventing relapse.
The researchers described the findings in mice as an important step towards developing an effective therapeutic vaccine for tuberculosis. However, they emphasised that further research is required before the vaccine can progress to clinical trials in humans.
