News
Building Momentum in Tuberculosis Research: KITT Kicks-Off
For the second time in one year, Lygature colleagues were back in Annecy, France over the summer. This time, for the kick-off of a new initiative in the tuberculosis (TB) research space called KITT.
Short for Knowledge Integration for TB Treatment Development, KITT is a global initiative with a clear mission: to accelerate TB drug and regimen development by synergizing global efforts and reducing duplication and competition for scarce resources.
With representatives from TB clinical trials, asset holders like Janssen and GSK, funders such as NIH and the Gates Foundation, public health institutions like WHO and US CDC, community advisory groups, and top research institutes from Europe, America, Africa, and Asia, the meeting had no shortage of expertise.
Discussions were lively, with participants sharing their latest research and challenges in TB trials, including how to translate preclinical findings into clinical practice. Discussions were also held around how to become the sounding board for regulatory agencies, policy-, and decision-makers, ensuring that the work carried out by KITT feeds into broader health strategies.
So far, almost 30 parties have signed on to be part of KITT and the number continues to increase. Initiated under the NIH FAST-TB initiative, the project is set to run for 3.5 years. Lygature plays a critical role in managing this ambitious program, ensuring seamless collaboration and driving the initiative towards its mission of advancing TB research and development in close alignment with the funder, NIH.