01830nas a2200445   4500000000100000008004100001260003400042653001600076653002700092653001900119653001200138653002500150100001200175700001500187700001200202700001200214700001300226700001600239700001400255700001800269700001400287700001500301700001400316700001700330700001200347700001400359700001100373700001100384700001400395700001200409700001300421700001200434700001500446245004100461856005400502300001400556490000800570520078100578022002501359       2025                            d  bMassachusetts Medical Society10aBedaquiline10aMultibacillary leprosy10aClinical trial10aLeprosy10aMycobacterium leprae1 aFomba A1 aHaidara FC1 aKodio M1 aArama C1 aCambau E1 aChauffour A1 aVeziris N1 aBroeckling BE1 aWarren AK1 aCauchoix B1 aAlcaïs A1 aMarsollier L1 aAssé H1 aJackson M1 aSow SO1 aFaye O1 aJarlier V1 aCole ST1 aAvanzi C1 aAubry A1 aJohnson RC00aBedaquiline Activity against Leprosy  uhttps://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMc2412487  a2174-21760 v3923 a<p>Leprosy, caused by <em>Mycobacterium leprae</em>, remains a public health challenge, with treatment limited by drug resistance and side effects. In the open-label BDQ4LEP clinical trial in Bamako, Mali, we evaluated the bactericidal efficacy of bedaquiline in 30 patients with untreated multibacillary leprosy. Patients received bedaquiline for 8 weeks, followed by standard multidrug therapy for one year. Skin biopsies were analyzed for microbiologic and molecular markers. Bedaquiline treatment led to significant reductions in bacillary and molecular viability indices, with 96% culture negativity by day 56. No relapses occurred during one-year follow-up. These results suggest bedaquiline is a promising candidate for shortening and improving leprosy treatment.</p>
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