Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that mainly affects the lungs but can spread to other organs. About one-quarter of the world's population carries latent TB that isn't active, and roughly 10 million people develop active TB each year. Standard treatment takes six months and combines four antibiotics, but drug-resistant strains now require longer, more toxic regimens.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing shorter treatment courses for drug-susceptible TB, new drug combinations for multi-drug-resistant strains, and prevention strategies for people with latent infection. Newer antibiotics like bedaquiline, pretomanid, and delamanid are being studied in various combinations. Researchers are also working on better diagnostics to identify resistant strains faster and vaccines to prevent TB altogether.
Shorter treatment courses
Four-month regimens combining rifapentine with other drugs are being tested as alternatives to six-month standard treatment. Shorter courses could improve adherence and reduce the burden of daily pills.
Drug-resistant TB regimens
Newer antibiotics approved in the past decade are being combined in all-oral regimens lasting six to nine months instead of two years. Studies are testing which combinations work best with fewer side effects.
TB vaccines
Multiple vaccine candidates are in trials, aiming to prevent TB infection or stop latent TB from becoming active. The BCG vaccine given at birth provides limited protection, and no new TB vaccine has been approved in a century.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on whether TB is active or latent, drug resistance pattern, HIV status, prior TB treatment, and organ involvement beyond the lungs.
What types of trials are currently open
- Treatment trials — Testing new antibiotic combinations or shorter courses of existing drugs for active TB. Many compare new regimens to the standard six-month treatment.
- Drug-resistant TB trials — Studies of treatment regimens for multi-drug-resistant or extensively drug-resistant TB, often testing all-oral combinations of newer antibiotics.
- Prevention trials — Testing shorter courses of antibiotics to prevent latent TB from becoming active disease, especially in people with HIV or recent exposure.
- Vaccine trials — Studies of vaccines to prevent TB infection or stop progression from latent to active disease in adolescents and adults.
- Diagnostic studies — Testing new tests that can detect TB and identify drug resistance faster than current methods, which can take weeks.
Recently added Tuberculosis trials
Clinical Characteristics, Treatment, Diagnostic Findings, and Outcomes of Tuberculous Meningitis in Indonesia, 2022-2025
TBM Study is a multicenter, observational, retrospective cohort study of Tuberculous Meningitis (TBM) patients who underwent treatment at the hospital during the 2022-2025 period. The goal of this study is to learn about the clinical characteristics, diagnostic findings, drug resistance profiles, treatment regimens, complications, and treatment outcomes of patients diagnosed with TBM who were admitted to the study hospitals between 2022 and 2025. This study uses retrospective data obtained from electronic medical records (EMR).
Biomarker Analysis for Diagnosing and Treatment Monitoring in Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Nairobi, Kenya
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health threat with high incidence, especially in Africa. The proportion of extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) can escalate up to 36% in areas with a high HIV prevalence. Effectively managing and controlling EPTB in high-burden regions, such as Kenya, faces obstacles owing to the limitations of the current diagnostic tools. Traditional methods, such as smear microscopy and culture, often fail to detect EPTB due to the paucibacillary nature of the disease and while newer molecular techniques such as Xpert MTB/RIF have improved the diagnosis of pulmonary TB, they demonstrate reduced sensitivity for EPTB. The inadequacy of these tools results in delayed or missed diagnosis, contributing to higher morbidity and mortality. This underscores the urgent need for more sensitive, non-invasive diagnostic methods that can be applied in resource-limited settings like Kenya. This study aims to establish a biomarker-based diagnostic method for EPTB, using biomarkers such as lipoarabinomannan (LAM), MPT64, and Ag85B to diagnose and to monitor treatment response. Additionally, to clarify the characteristics and causative microorganisms of patients suspected of having TB but yielded negative results. Techniques such as ultrasensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and urine concentration methods will be employed to improve detection sensitivity. It also seeks to explore the extent of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) and fungal infections in patients in patients presenting as presumed TB. This prospective cohort study will be conducted at Kenyatta National Hospital and Mbagathi County Hospital in Nairobi, enrolling 763 adult patients with presumed extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) and 150 control participants from November 2024 to October 2028 Clinical and demographic data, along with sputum, blood, and urine samples, will be collected at enrolment for microbiological tests and biomarker analysis. The accuracy of biomarkers will be assessed by comparing their sensitivity and specificity against established diagnostic standards. For confirmed EPTB cases (n=50), follow-up samples will be collected during TB treatment to monitor biomarker trends alongside the patient's clinical progress. This study can enhance EPTB diagnosis by evaluating the diagnostic profile of candidate biomarkers in urine or blood samples. The findings may lead to the development of accurate, non-invasive diagnostic tools suited for resource-limited settings, improving early detection and treatment outcomes. Additionally, by clarifying the epidemiological and microbiological profiles of TB, NTM, and fungal infections, the study could guide more targeted clinical management strategies, ultimately improving patient care in high-burden regions.
Find Tuberculosis trials matched specifically to you
Answer 3 quick questions and we'll show you trials that fit your situation.