Repurposing avermectins as new potential TB therapies

摘要

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Co-infection with HIV and the emergence of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains (MDR-and XDR-TB) has reaffirmed TB as a global public health threat. New therapies are urgently needed. An alternative approach to generate new TB treatment options in a timely and cost-effective manner is “repurposing” clinically used drugs with known pharmaceutical properties. In the course of a screening program [PMID: 21576426], we identified the in vitro anti-tuberculosis activity of the anthelmintic avermectins (ivermectin, selamectin, moxidectin and doramectin) [PMID: 23165468].