Key Points
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals is developing such a pill for humansminus the tasty flavoringthat could provide protection against the tick-borne disease for several weeks at a time..
In February, the Irvine, Californiabased biotech company announced results from a small, early-stage trial showing that 24 hours after taking the drug, it can kill ticks on people, with the effects lasting for up to 30 days...
Lyme disease is a fast-growing problem in the United States, where approximately 476,000 people are diagnosed and treated for it each year, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention..
That number is likely an overestimate, because many patients are treated after a tick bite even if an infection isnt confirmed, but it underscores the burden of Lyme disease on the health care systemwhich researchers at the CDC and Yale University put at nearly $1 billion per year...
Without a vaccine for Lyme disease on the market, current prevention includes using insect repellents such as DEET and permethrin and wearing closed shoes, long pants, and long sleeves when in a tick-infested area.. Weve seen increasing rates of tick-borne diseases over the years, despite being told to do tick checks, use DEET, and impregnate your clothes with permethrin, says Paul Auwaerter, a professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine who studies Lyme disease...
