MANILA (September 3, 2024) – A delegation of experts from Brazil’s National TB Program visited Manila recently to collaborate with the Philippines to accelerate implementation of the new drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) treatment, BPaL/M. Through the Manila-based PeerLINC Knowledge Hub, Brazilian officials had in-depth scientific exchange with their peers in the Philippines – one of the first countries in the world to successfully roll out BPaL/M treatment. PeerLINC is supported by TB Alliance and offers countries like Brazil first-in-class peer support, capacity building, and technical assistance to implement the life-saving regimen in their own countries.
BPaL/M – a combination of the antibiotics bedaquiline (B), pretomanid (Pa), and linezolid (L), with or without moxifloxacin (M) – are six-month DR-TB treatments with a success rate of 90% or greater. BPaL/M is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the treatment of most forms of DR-TB. Prior to the introduction of these regimens, DR-TB treatment typically consisted of 9-24 months of treatment, with a treatment success rate of approximately 60%. New regimens have the potential to improve DR-TB treatment outcomes and experiences in Brazil, while reducing costs to both health systems and individuals who seek treatment.
“Brazil has decided to fast track implementation of BPaL/M,” says Dr. Fernanda Dockhorn. “We had valuable interactions with the PeerLINC team and Philippines Department of Health Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB) experts to utilize their experience as we deploy this new standard of care in our country. We are thankful to TB Alliance for supporting this interaction and DPCB for their help.”
The intensive week-long programme included didactic and hands-on training with experts from PeerLINC, the Philippines Department of Health, the Lung Center of the Philippines, and the National TB Reference Laboratory (NTRL). The PeerLINC team also provides ongoing support and technical assistance as Brazil implements the new treatment regimens.
“It is truly heartening and exciting to see this initiative working so well,” said Sandeep Juneja, Senior Vice President of Access at TB Alliance. “We’re seeing countries with substantial TB burdens working with the PeerLINC team and returning home with deeper knowledge, strengthened commitment, and tangible plans to expand and accelerate access to new TB cures that will benefit their people and health systems.”
PeerLINC Knowledge Hub operates as a partnership between TB Alliance and the Tropical Disease Foundation, Inc. (TDF), and in close collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH), Philippines, to help countries implement best practices in the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) and speed the worldwide programmatic implementation of innovative, more effective treatments for the disease. The initiative is funded by the Australian Government through the Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative. Since launching in March 2024, PeerLINC has helped numerous counties define and operationalize plans to expand availability of the BPaL/M, including Brazil, Peru, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo.
About BPaL
The BPaL regimen – which combines the antibiotics bedaquiline (B), pretomanid (Pa), and linezolid (L) – was designed and clinically studied by TB Alliance. Pretomanid, as part of the BPaL regimen, received its first regulatory approval in August 2019, for use against highly drug-resistant strains of TB. Prior to the initial BPaL clinical trial, less than one-third of drug-resistant TB patients were being successfully treated. Treatment options were limited, expensive, toxic, and lengthy, requiring patients to take more than 20 pills per day for 9-20 months.
About PeerLINC
The PeerLINC Knowledge Hub provides practical training and technical support to help speed programmatic implementation of innovative, effective TB treatments globally. PeerLINC follows a peer-to-peer model for sharing best practices, experience, tools, and materials by connecting experts from early adopter countries with countries interested in implementing the latest TB treatments. PeerLINC, operates in partnership between the Tropical Disease Foundation, Inc. (TDF) and TB Alliance in close collaboration with the Department of Health, Philippines.