A recent study indicates that a promising therapy for managing tuberculosis (TB) does not disrupt combined antiretroviral therapy (cART).
Research from the Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) highlights that a potential therapy to control tuberculosis (TB) does not interfere with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART).
“This represents a significant milestone that the host-directed therapy needed to achieve to assist patients dealing with both HIV and TB,” stated Dr. Smriti Mehra, a professor at Texas Biomed, who spearheaded the study recently published in the peer-reviewed journal JCI Insight.
Every year, TB is responsible for over 1.3 million deaths globally. Dr. Mehra and her research team are exploring a therapy that is currently utilized in cancer treatment as a possible solution for patients suffering from drug-resistant TB and/or with concurrent HIV. Although many TB cases can be managed with a lengthy course of antibiotics, the disease can reoccur in individuals whose immune systems are weakened by HIV. As cART has proven to be highly effective in managing HIV, a return of TB can often be lethal for these individuals.
Dr. Mehra is examining a host-directed therapy that targets an immune system protein found naturally in the body. This protein, known as IDO (Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase), generally inhibits the immune system to prevent excessive inflammation and damage to organs. Temporary inhibition of IDO has proven to enhance cancer treatments, and Dr. Mehra’s team has previously demonstrated that this method also helps control TB alongside antibiotics.
The latest study, which involved nonhuman primates infected with both TB and simian immunodeficiency virus (the primate equivalent of HIV), revealed that the IDO inhibitor does not disrupt cART.
“There was no rise in viral load in the primates that received both cART and the IDO inhibitor when compared to those that received only cART, confirming the safety of the inhibitor for HIV patients,” Dr. Mehra explained.
With evidence that the inhibitor can work effectively alongside TB antibiotics and with cART separately, the researchers aim to evaluate its efficacy when administered with both antibiotics and cART together. This treatment approach is the standard for individuals with both HIV and active TB. Dr. Mehra noted that longer-term studies are necessary to ensure there are no unforeseen side effects.
The IDO inhibitor is already approved by the FDA for cancer patients, making it easier to secure potential approval for those with TB/HIV compared to the development of a completely new medication.
