Panel: How to Change the Tide for TB/HIV-Moderators: Jerry Ellner, Sarah Fortune

TL;DR

Progress is being made in TB and HIV research, but challenges remain in drug access, clinical trial design, and vaccine development.

Transcript

okay so this discussion only works if we have a discussion right which means that you guys have to ask questions at some point and engage our panelists in a discussion we um are going to ask them to give a few minutes of kind of offthe cup remarks about about the topics that they have been assigned um and I think they we can divide this into drugs ... Read More

Key Insights

• 👨‍🔬 Animal models need to be improved to better reflect human conditions in TB and HIV research.
• 🪡 Biomarkers and surrogate markers are important for clinical trials but need further refinement.
• 🎨 Designing clinical trials for TB drugs is challenging and costly, and the regulatory environment needs to be more flexible.
• 🚚 Drug access remains a bottleneck in TB and HIV treatment and requires innovative approaches for procurement and delivery.

Questions & Answers

Q: How can animal models be improved to better reflect human conditions in TB and HIV research?

Animal models need to be designed to replicate the complexities of human infection, including reinfection and diverse patient populations. This would lead to more accurate predictions of vaccine and drug efficacy.

Q: What are the challenges in designing clinical trials for TB drugs?

Designing clinical trials for TB drugs is difficult due to the need for adaptive trial designs, the high cost of phase three studies, and the lack of studies on combination regimens. The regulatory environment also needs to be more flexible to allow for the study of regimens.

Q: What are the challenges in drug access for TB and HIV treatment?

Despite efforts to improve drug access, barriers still exist, such as high costs and supply chain issues. Pool procurement and engagement with the private sector could help address these challenges.

Q: How can biomarkers and surrogate markers be improved in clinical trials?

Biomarkers and surrogate markers are crucial for clinical trials, but current markers are not perfected. Further research is needed to improve the accuracy and reliability of these markers to better predict treatment outcomes.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Animal models are essential for clinical trials and should be improved to better reflect human conditions.

• Biomarkers and surrogate markers are important for clinical trials, but further refinement is necessary.

• Designing clinical trials for TB drugs is difficult and expensive, and the regulatory environment needs to change.

• Drug access is a bottleneck for treatment, and innovative approaches to procurement and delivery are needed.