Stage 2 of the STREAM Clinical Trial screened its first patient in Europe on 11 July at its trial site in Chisinau, Moldova.
Stage 2 of the STREAM Clinical Trial screened its first patient in Europe on 11 July at its trial site in Chisinau, Moldova.
Although Moldova has a population of only three million people, over 500 new multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases were registered in 2016. Given the high burden of disease in the country, Moldova was identified as a logical location for implementing the STREAM trial. The national TB referral and research hospital – Institute of Phthisiopneumology Chiril Draganiuc – in Chisinau quickly expressed strong interest in leading the trial in Moldova and has meticulously completed all preparations required to initiate screening.
Dr Elena Tudor, principal investigator for STREAM in Moldova, has high hopes for improving treatment outcomes for her patients: “I would be pleased if my country could improve its current treatment success rate for MDR-TB patients. The success rate is currently 57.1 percent but I would like to see it closer to the approximate 80 percent success rate reported from the Bangladesh trial.”
STREAM Stage 2 is the result of a unique collaboration between USAID, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, The Union and Vital Strategies. The STREAM team is proud to welcome the experienced study team from Moldova to the STREAM trial.