Overview

• Researchers at the University of British Columbia screened over 240 FDA-approved compounds against TB-infected immune cells and pinpointed benztropine as a host-directed lead.
• Benztropine inhibits a histamine receptor on macrophages that Mycobacterium tuberculosis exploits, restoring the cells’ ability to kill the bacteria.
• Lab assays with human and mouse macrophages showed dramatic bacterial reductions and oral treatment cut lung bacterial loads by about 70 percent in TB-infected mice.
• Because benztropine is already approved for Parkinson’s disease, its established safety profile could speed initiation of clinical trials for TB.
• Investigators stress that human studies are still required to establish effective dosing, confirm safety in TB patients and explore combination use with existing antibiotics.