As such, the returns from marketing the new drug will not be enough to justify large investments into research and hence the apathy of drug multinationals to look into the area in their individual capacities. However, with the alliance taking a firm shape and support coming from major quarters, there is optimism toward the cause, Dr Bakhle said. Presently, there are 16 million patients in the world with active tuberculosis, and every year 8 million new cases are reported. The number of deaths due to TB exceeds two million people. One third of all HIV-positive people die with tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis is also a major cause of death in women of childbearing age.
Implementation of TB control remains a challenge. In settings where TB control is weak, compliance with treatment drops dramatically after two months. Furthermore, a quarter of all TB patients will go without therapy in the year 2000 due to geographic, financial and other programmatic barriers.