Qurient Co. Ltd. announced positive results from the Phase 2a EBA (early bactericidal activity) clinical trial for telacebec (Q203), a first-in-class, orally-available antibiotic for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Telacebec is a selective inhibitor with high specificity for the cytochrome bc1 complex of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This complex is a critical component of the electron transport chain, and inhibition disrupts the bacterium’s ability to generate energy. The EBA trial assessed the pharmacokinetics, safety, and activity of telacebec in three dose strength (100 mg, 200 mg and 300 mg) in the treatment of adult patients with pulmonary TB. Telacebec met the primary objective of rate of change in the time to positivity (TTP) in sputum over days 0 to 14. Telacebec was safe and well tolerated throughout the different dose strengths. Full results from EBA trial are expected to be presented at future scientific meetings. Telacebec has received Orphan Drug Designation and Fast Track Designation from the U.S. FDA. Telacebec also has been found effective against buruli ulcer (Mycobacterium ulcerans), a chronic, necrotizing disease that affects skin and sometimes bone and can lead to permanent deformity and long-term disability (Nature Communications, 2018). This trial took place in South Africa and was led by global key opinion leaders in TB located in Cape Town, South Africa. Professor AndreasDiacon, a national principal investigator at TASK Applied Science, Doctor Veronique de Jager, principal investigator at TASK Applied Science, and Professor Rodney Dawson, principal investigator at University of Cape Town Lung Institute. Telacebec is in Phase 2a clinical development under a U.S. IND (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03563599).