The critical role of new tuberculosis vaccines in achieving the WHO 2035 End TB target

This perspective article, in recognition of World TB Day 2025, highlights the essential role that new tuberculosis (TB) vaccines play in meeting the World Health Organization's goal of ending TB by 2035. The article does not provide a comprehensive review of all vaccine candidates but emphasizes the urgent need for novel TB vaccines, given the limitations of the bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine and the increasing threat of drug-resistant strains. As TB continues to be a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, with an estimated 10.8 million new cases in 2023, it is evident that current strategies are insufficient. Although advancements in vaccine research, including candidates such as M72/AS01E, show promise, the article underscores that achieving TB elimination requires vaccines that can prevent TB infection reactivation and transmission of drug-resistant strains. Overcoming scientific, logistical, and distribution challenges, particularly, in high-burden regions, will be critical to accelerating the availability of these vaccines. The article calls for intensified global collaboration and sustained investment in research to accelerate the development of novel vaccines, which are indispensable for reaching the World Health Organization's ambitious 2035 TB elimination targets.