The role of the mouse model in the evaluation of new antituberculosis drugs

For the first time in 4 decades, new agents with novel mechanisms of action have entered clinical trials designed to evaluate their potential to improve the treatment of tuberculosis. Much of the optimism surrounding these new drugs comes from promising results observed in animal models. Moreover, selection of the most promising combinations of new and existing drugs to form entirely novel regimens for future trials will also rely on information from animal studies. This review describes the historical track record of experimental animal chemotherapy models, their potential pitfalls and recent efforts to improve their utility. Although the mouse model is featured, the role of other animal models is also briefly considered.