Periodic Reporting for period 2 - INNOVA4TB (Innovation in Tuberculosis)
Reporting period: 2021-01-01 to 2024-06-30
The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) is still high in several countries, and it is one of the major infectious diseases worldwide. The emergence and spread of multi-drug and extensive resistant cases is a public health threat. In addition, the armed conflicts that is experiencing Europe, and other part of the world, have provoked a large number of refugees and displaced population. However, the conventional methods used for diagnosis and drug-susceptibility testing are not enough for controlling the disease. In addition, all TB patients, independently of their age, gender, severity of the disease and type of responsible strain, follow the same treatment duration, which often leads to high frequency of adverse events, suboptimal adherence to treatment, and poor outcome. A progressive transition from programmatic to personalized management of TB is needed.
Our proposal has developed innovative technologies and approaches in order to improve the individual risk assessment for TB development if the patient is infected; to rapidly diagnose active TB using new methods applied to non-sputum samples; to detect the drug susceptibility of the strain using molecular methods; to design tailor-made therapies including the exploration of new molecules and new ways of delivery; and to use blood and X-ray biomarkers to guide and individualize the duration of antimicrobial therapy. All these achievements are of great importance for improving the quality of life of patients and ensuring treatment success, as well as for economic reasons for the healthcare system.
The overall objective of INNOVA4TB was to enhance and strengthen the collaborative research among sectors and to form a network aimed to perform high-quality and translational research in the field of diagnosis and management of TB. The consortium is constituted by 16 institutions from 8 countries that combined complementary and synergic expertise: clinical management (hospitals), basic science and new technologies (academic institutions), and industrial development and entrepreneurship culture (SMEs). The exchanges between the institutions have allowed the participants to progress in their career perspectives.
Our proposal has developed innovative technologies and approaches in order to improve the individual risk assessment for TB development if the patient is infected; to rapidly diagnose active TB using new methods applied to non-sputum samples; to detect the drug susceptibility of the strain using molecular methods; to design tailor-made therapies including the exploration of new molecules and new ways of delivery; and to use blood and X-ray biomarkers to guide and individualize the duration of antimicrobial therapy. All these achievements are of great importance for improving the quality of life of patients and ensuring treatment success, as well as for economic reasons for the healthcare system.
The overall objective of INNOVA4TB was to enhance and strengthen the collaborative research among sectors and to form a network aimed to perform high-quality and translational research in the field of diagnosis and management of TB. The consortium is constituted by 16 institutions from 8 countries that combined complementary and synergic expertise: clinical management (hospitals), basic science and new technologies (academic institutions), and industrial development and entrepreneurship culture (SMEs). The exchanges between the institutions have allowed the participants to progress in their career perspectives.
During the project we have performed different clinical studies. We have studied the immune response against the mycobacteria, defining specific response depending if the patient is infected, has active TB, or is in treatment. In order to rapidly diagnose active TB and to detect the drug susceptibility of the strain, we performed the evaluations of different technologies: rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen in urine, characterization of a specific profile of urinary and blood metabolome, and validation of a new molecular methods for detecting drug resistance (LPA, lateral flow approach, array assay and deep sequencing). Regarding the new strategies for improving anti-TB therapy, we have isolated compounds produced by bacteria from the Black Sea and tested their anti-TB activity, evaluated the activity of Gallium against M. tuberculosis in an in-vitro model, and developed bio-compatible nanoparticles with these new compounds to test their anti-TB activity.
We have published our results in open access publications (see our website) and we have also disseminated in scientific conferences and congresses. We have organized joint sessions with Non-Governmental Organizations, patient's association and other scientific networks. Regarding the dissemination to the society, we have also participated in the World TB Day, European Research Night and Women in Science campaigns.
Fifty-five secondees staffs from the partners and beneficiaries’ participants) have participated in the project, performing stages in different sector institutions, increasing their scientific knowledge, training in soft-skills, and enhancing their employability.
We have published our results in open access publications (see our website) and we have also disseminated in scientific conferences and congresses. We have organized joint sessions with Non-Governmental Organizations, patient's association and other scientific networks. Regarding the dissemination to the society, we have also participated in the World TB Day, European Research Night and Women in Science campaigns.
Fifty-five secondees staffs from the partners and beneficiaries’ participants) have participated in the project, performing stages in different sector institutions, increasing their scientific knowledge, training in soft-skills, and enhancing their employability.
Despite the difficulties faced during the last years as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic first (starting in 2020), and the war in Ukraine later (starting in 2022), the activities performed in the frame of the consortium have had relevant impact at different levels: for scientific community, for the secondees careers, for the institutions participating and for the civil society.
Thanks to the secondments, the participants have increased their professional potentiality and developed new skills, working in facilities and scientific-technical platforms that are not available in their home centres of origin or in institutions where the incidence of tuberculosis is around 10 times higher than in their countries of origin. In many cases they faced new professional situations, improving their language skills and empowering themselves to take on more ambitious professional challenges.
The consortium has launched 25 studies where academic and non-academic partners collaborate, contributing with different points of view and capacities to achieve results. All these projects, which are still in very early stages, are undoubtedly of great scientific importance, and will have a great impact once we have definitive results.
The project aimed to generate new technologies that allow progress in the management of patients with tuberculosis. The companies in the consortium participated in the development of different technologies, of molecular and immunological basis, for the diagnosis of patients with tuberculosis and also with non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections. This type of activity generated new techniques that they are going to introduce in the market, with the consequent innovative benefit at European level driven economic and welfare.
Finally, we believe that the project will had an impact on European policies. On one hand, there is an impact at the local level in those countries where there is a high incidence of tuberculosis (Ukraine and Moldova). Consensus documents are in elaboration regarding the utility and implication of molecular methods in the clinical management of MDR-TB patients. On the other hand, it is interesting to note the great similarities between tuberculosis and COVID-19. Both are respiratory infections, which are transmitted through the air and cause high mortality. At the moment there is a great awareness of the importance of research and science, but also of the impact it has on the health of the population, but on the economy of the countries. There is an opportunity to influence at the political level in promoting policies to control tuberculosis.
Thanks to the secondments, the participants have increased their professional potentiality and developed new skills, working in facilities and scientific-technical platforms that are not available in their home centres of origin or in institutions where the incidence of tuberculosis is around 10 times higher than in their countries of origin. In many cases they faced new professional situations, improving their language skills and empowering themselves to take on more ambitious professional challenges.
The consortium has launched 25 studies where academic and non-academic partners collaborate, contributing with different points of view and capacities to achieve results. All these projects, which are still in very early stages, are undoubtedly of great scientific importance, and will have a great impact once we have definitive results.
The project aimed to generate new technologies that allow progress in the management of patients with tuberculosis. The companies in the consortium participated in the development of different technologies, of molecular and immunological basis, for the diagnosis of patients with tuberculosis and also with non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections. This type of activity generated new techniques that they are going to introduce in the market, with the consequent innovative benefit at European level driven economic and welfare.
Finally, we believe that the project will had an impact on European policies. On one hand, there is an impact at the local level in those countries where there is a high incidence of tuberculosis (Ukraine and Moldova). Consensus documents are in elaboration regarding the utility and implication of molecular methods in the clinical management of MDR-TB patients. On the other hand, it is interesting to note the great similarities between tuberculosis and COVID-19. Both are respiratory infections, which are transmitted through the air and cause high mortality. At the moment there is a great awareness of the importance of research and science, but also of the impact it has on the health of the population, but on the economy of the countries. There is an opportunity to influence at the political level in promoting policies to control tuberculosis.