Oral dissolvable strips to treat latent TB in kids and adults
Official title: Oral Dissolvable Strips (ODS) as new pediatric and adult delivery mode of therapy for latent tuberculosis
Funded at Oak Therapeutics, INC. · NIH-11393763 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new dissolvable strip version of TB medicines aims to simplify prevention therapy for people with latent TB, including children and adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oak Therapeutics, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lawrence, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $814,340 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AI179391-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11393763 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children under 18 and adults requiring LTBI preventive therapy who have difficulties with tablet forms or adherence.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not candidates for LTBI treatment or who do not require preventive therapy would not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project develops oral dissolvable strips (ODS) for latent TB infection to improve how easily people can take preventive therapy. It targets both pediatric and adult patients who would benefit from simpler dosing and better adherence. The team at Oak Therapeutics is adapting rifapentine and isoniazid into user-friendly strips that dissolve in the mouth, reducing swallowing difficulties and dosing errors. The research will address real-world barriers like taste, shelf-life, and age-appropriate dosing to support better treatment completion. If successful, the approach could lead to higher adherence and fewer future active TB cases.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could complete preventive TB therapy more easily, reducing the risk of progressing to active TB.
How similar studies have gone: Prior TB preventive strategies show adherence can improve when formulations are child-friendly; this project builds on that by delivering a novel dissolvable strip approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Oak Therapeutics, INC.
Lawrence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maliski, Edward G — Oak Therapeutics, INC.
- Study coordinator: Maliski, Edward G
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.