Recruiting

Testing a shorter four-month treatment for early-stage tuberculosis

Plain-English translation of NCT06727864 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated March 2025 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

Phase 3 — Testing in thousands of people, comparing the treatment against what doctors currently use. This is the last big step before approval.

What is this trial?

This trial is comparing two different treatment timelines for tuberculosis. One group will take a combination of four antibiotics (isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide) for four months total, while the other group will take the standard six-month treatment. Researchers want to see if the shorter treatment works just as well and could make it easier for patients to complete their full course of medication.

Tuberculosis requires long-term antibiotic treatment, and six months is a significant commitment that some patients struggle to complete. This trial exists to see whether a shorter four-month course could be equally effective while making treatment easier to stick with and reducing the burden on healthcare systems.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have been newly diagnosed with pulmonary (lung) tuberculosis confirmed by a sputum test, culture, or biopsy
you are over 20 years old
your liver, kidney, and blood cell counts are healthy enough to safely take these medications (tested within 14 days of enrollment)
you are able to take medications by mouth and willing to work with your local health department to take your medications as prescribed
if you had tuberculosis in the past, it was cured at least three years ago

You likely don't qualify if…

you have severe tuberculosis with very high levels of bacteria in your sputum or large open lung cavities on your chest X-ray
you have tuberculosis that has spread outside the lungs, or tuberculosis affecting your brain, bones, joints, or heart
you have HIV infection, a history of organ transplant, or severe kidney disease
you have a known allergy to any of the study medications or have already taken tuberculosis medications for more than two weeks
you are taking high-dose steroids or other strong immunosuppressive drugs

What participation looks like

If you join this trial, you'll be randomly assigned to either the four-month or six-month treatment group. You'll take your assigned combination of antibiotics by mouth according to a set schedule, and you'll work with your local health department to ensure you take your medications consistently. Over three years, researchers will monitor your progress to see how well the treatment works, check for any side effects, and track whether your tuberculosis comes back after treatment ends.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 3, 2026 · Not medical advice

Testing a shorter four-month treatment for early-stage tuberculosis

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(8 sites)