Positive results from study of delamanid (Otsuka) for patients with MDR-TB - 30-Sep-2012

Results from an observational study evaluating delamanid, from Otsuka, have found that the treatment can improve outcomes and reduce mortality among patients with both multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis MDR-TB and extensively drug-resistant Tuberculosis (XDR-TB). A previous trial had evaluated the effectiveness of 2 months treatment but the new study followed the same patients for a further 24 months of treatment.

The researchers classified the 421 patients into either a favourable outcomes group, where the patient was cured or completed the treatment, or an unfavourable outcome, where the patient had failed the treatment course, defaulted or died. The results found that 74.5% of patients taking delamanid for more than 6 months had favourable outcomes. This compared to 55% of patients taking the drug for less than 2 months. Furthermore, only two patient deaths occurred in the long-term group, compared to 19 in the short-term treatment group. In the subset of patients suffering with XDR-TB, 61.4% of patients in the long-term group experienced favourable outcomes, compared with 50% in the short-term group. Mortality was also reduced within this subset.

"This is extremely positive news given that similar studies of different treatments rarely report favourable outcomes above 70% or mortality rates below 15%," says lead author Vija Skripconoka from the Riga East University Hospital. Results have been published in the European Respiratory Journal. See: "Delamanid Improves Outcomes and Reduces Mortality for Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis" by Vija Skripconoka et al. Eur Respir J erj01258-2012; (doi:10.1183/09031936.00125812).