Update on the Development of TB Vaccines

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused mainly by members of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. In 2012, the WHO estimated 8.7 million new cases and 1.4 million deaths caused by this disease. Under the Millennium Development Goals, the WHO aims to eradicate TB as a public health problem by 2050. However, reaching this goal will require the development and incorporation of new and more effective vaccines that can replace the current BCG vaccine. Much work is therefore ongoing in terms of the development of TB vaccines and more than 10 candidate vaccines are progressing well through the different development stages. The aim of this mini-review is to describe the characteristics of the most promising vaccines, and to give a brief description of some key elements relating to the current and future development of vaccines against TB.