India rejects patent for shorter drug-resistant TB regimen BPaL

The Indian Patent Office has rejected TB Alliance's patent application for BPaL, a combination of bedaquiline, pretomanid and linezolid. The WHO-recommended six-month, all-oral regimen treats highly drug-resistant tuberculosis, replacing older courses that could last 18 to 24 months and involve painful injections. The decision could boost generic competition and widen access to the treatment.