TB research effort is explained

WASHINGTON, Aug 30, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- A Kansas State University chemistry professor says he is researching a new strategy for treating tuberculosis, a disease that claims 2 million lives a year.

Kansas State Professor Stefan Bossmann is researching a new strategy for treating TB using ruthenium-polypyridyl-complexes as anti-mycobacterial drugs.

Bossmann said his research explores unique physical and chemical properties of channel proteins called porins, isolated from Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. His goal is to develop supramolecular model systems to serve as physical models for the biological function of the porin systems.

According to Bossmann, not many antibiotics actually work in treating TB because the disease has been steadily developing resistance to them. That makes new strategies urgently needed, he said.

"It will become extremely difficult to treat cases of TB ... 10 to 20 years down the road because new treatment possibilities have not been developed."

Bossmann explained his research during a Tuesday presentation at the American Chemical Society's national meeting in Washington.

The World Health Organization said Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the world's most dangerous infectious disease, causing more than 2 million deaths every year. Although one-third of the world's population is already infected, WHO officials said no new anti-tuberculosis drugs have been marketed in 30 years.