Johnson & Johnson seeking U.S. approval for first new TB drug in more than 4 decades

"Johnson & Johnson [J&J] said Monday that it is seeking U.S. approval for the first new type of medicine to fight deadly tuberculosis [TB] in more than four decades," the Associated Press reports, adding, "The experimental drug, called bedaquiline, also would be the first medicine specifically for treating multi-drug resistant tuberculosis." According to the news service, "J&J's Janssen Research & Development unit created the drug, which was tested in several hundred patients with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in two mid-stage studies lasting for six months," and "[s]ome patients were studied for about 1 1/2 years." The news service notes, "Janssen's head of infectious diseases, Dr. Wim Pays, said the company will also apply for approval of bedaquiline in other countries where TB is very common" (Johnson, 7/2).