MET has been found to boost efficacy of TB medication
A new research led by an Indian-origin scientist at the Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), have discovered that Metformin (MET), a drug for treating diabetes, can also be used to boost the efficacy of TB medication without inducing drug resistance.
"Using MET as an adjunct treatment for TB is very promising since this drug interferes with the biochemical pathway essential for the bacteria's survival and does not promote the development of drug resistance," said lead scientists Dr Amit Singhal, Project Leader and Prof Gennaro De Libero, Principal Investigator at SIgN.
"MET is also a very cheap and safe drug with no adverse effect on non-diabetic patients. This would likely shorten clinical trials and we are confident that a better and affordable tuberculosis (TB) treatment will be made available soon," said Dr Singhal.
