New Delhi, September 6
For the past four decades, it can prove a major breakthrough in medical science across the world. Indian scientists claim to have discovered a new anti-tubercular molecule for early treatment of tuberculosis, just within two months against six to eight months time taken by the present treatment.
It will also mean national savings worth Rs 12,000 crore annually in health budget or school education for over three lakh children who are forced to leave their education to take care of their parents.
Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said today that the breakthrough was made jointly by the CSIR, Lupin and four other institutions under the New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) project of the government.
He said the animal trial of this new TB molecule had been successfully conducted. Steps were under way for procuring permission from the government for human trials and drug development.
This success story in developing a new therapeutic molecule for TB will pave the way for new treatments of the disease which has infected approximately two billion people across the globe.
Nearly eight million new cases are added annually with South-East Asia facing the major burden. This is the first success achieved in this field since the discovery of Rifampicin in 1963.
According to an official estimate, around three million deaths due to tuberculosis were reported every year with India accounting for around 0.5 million deaths.
Officials said with the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus, TB has
acquired the severity of epidemic proportions and become a major barrier to economic development costing the country over Rs 12,000 crore every year.
