Philippines Reports 98% Treatment Success with BPaL in LIFT-TB, Early Experience Built Momentum for Global Regimen Change

The global shift toward six-month, all-oral BPaL/M regimens continues to gain speed, and LIFT-TB has been a driving force behind this progress. As one of the earliest large-scale efforts to show that BPaL could achieve clinical-trial-level outcomes in routine health systems, LIFT-TB helped build the confidence, capacity, and evidence base needed for countries to move boldly toward shorter, more effective, and more people-centered DR-TB treatment.

The Philippines, a standout participant in LIFT-TB, has now released the formal publication of its BPaL operational research results. The findings are striking: a 98% treatment success rate among 96 people treated across 12 DR-TB centers in 10 regions, with most side effects reported as mild to moderate. These results reinforce what LIFT-TB set out to demonstrate—that the BPaL regimen can work safely and effectively in real-world settings, not just controlled trials.

But LIFT-TB’s impact extends beyond evidence generation. Participating countries were able to use the initiative to accelerate policy change, strengthen national and regional capacity, build multisectoral buy-in, and prepare health workers for implementation of the new regimens. For many, LIFT-TB served as a critical head start in the transition to BPaL/M.

From Early Research to National Scale-Up—and Now a Global Supporting Role

One of the most remarkable elements of the Philippines’ journey has been its rapid move from research to national rollout. Leveraging experience gained through LIFT-TB, the National TB Program swiftly updated national guidelines, expanded capacity-building efforts throughout the country, and by the end of 2024 had initiated BPaL treatment for 70% of DR-TB patients—a figure that continues to rise.

This leadership positioned the Philippines as a natural host for the PeerLINC Knowledge Hub, launched in March 2024. Through PeerLINC, countries that rapidly adopted BPaL/M share practical expertise and peer-to-peer support with others preparing for rollout. Since its launch, PeerLINC has supported 41 countries in advancing their adoption and implementation of the BPaL/M regimens.