CHENNAI: A new drug found by the Tuberculosis Research Centre (TRC), thought to have the potential to treat two subtypes of HIV and tuberculosis (TB), has now been detected to be effective against 10 subtypes of HIV, claim scientists at TRC.Speaking to Express on the sidelines of the 55th Foundation Day celebrations of the TRC, Dr Luke Elizabeth Hannah, a scientist with its HIV division, said the drug, found to be effective against the well characterised subtypes B and C of the HIV, can also be used to treat eight other subtypes.A team of researchers from the TRC, IIT-Madras and Periyar University had derived a molecule, transitmycin, from streptomyces species—a marine organism extracted from soil samples from coral reef off Rameshwaram. Vitro tests had revealed earlier that the brominated and pigmented antibiotic was effective against dormant and active forms of mycobacterium tuberculosis as well as HIV subtypes B and C. The drug was heralded as a ray of hope for patients infected with both mycobacterium and HIV since existing medicines could not be administered simultaneously because they counteract.With the discovery that the drug is effective against 10 subtypes of HIV, the scientists are planning to push for a research proposal to the Indian Council of Medical Research to take the drug to the pre-clinical stage, according to principal investigator Dr Vanaja Selvakumar, scientist and HOD, bacteriology, at the TRC.
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