Scientists have claimed to develop the first non-antibiotic drug to treat tuberculosis in animals.

As per the researches of The University of Manchester in the UK, the developed compound will be experimented on humans within three to four years.

The drug works by targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosiss defences rather than the bacteria itself.

According to the research published in the Journal of Medical Chemistry, the drug can take out its increasingly common antibiotic-resistant strains.

TB is most common in Africa, India and China, but with the unprecedented rise of the cases in the UK, today, London has become TB capital of Europe.

“The fact that the animal studies showed our compound, which doesn’t kill the bacteria directly, resulted in a significant reduction in the bacterial burden is remarkable,” said Professor Lydia Tabernero, who led the study.

“But resistance is becoming an increasingly worrying problem and the prolonged treatment is difficult and distressing for patients,” Tabernero added.

Mycobacterium Tuberculosis secretes molecules called Virulence Factors — the cell’s secret weapon — which block out the immune response to the infection, making it difficult to treat.

“Because the bacteria hasnt been threatened directly, it is less likely to develop resistance against this new agent, and this will be a major advantage over current antibiotics, for which bacteria had already become resistant,” Tabernero added further.

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