The mechanism by which the phenothiazine thioridazine contributes to cure problematic drug-resistant forms of pulmonary tuberculosis: recent patents for "new use".

At this moment, over half million patients suffer from multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) according to the data from the WHO. A large majority is terminally ill with essentially incurable pulmonary tuberculosis. This herein mini-review provides the experimental and observational evidence that a specific phenothiazine, thioridazine, will contribute to cure any form of drug-resistant tuberculosis. This antipsychotic agent is no longer under patent protection for its initial use. The reader is informed on the recent developments in patenting this compound for "new use" with a special emphasis on the aspects of drug-resistance. Given that economic motivation can stimulate the use of this drug as an antitubercular agent, future prospects are also discussed.