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Chery-Karschney L, Patrapuvich R, Mudeppa DG, Kokkonda S, Chakrabarti R, Sriwichai P, O'Connor RM, Rathod PK, White J. Tartrolon E, a secondary metabolite of a marine symbiotic bacterium, is a potent inhibitor of asexual and sexual Plasmodium falciparum. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0068423. [PMID: 38193705 PMCID: PMC10848769 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00684-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Due to the spread of resistance to front-line artemisinin derivatives worldwide, there is a need for new antimalarials. Tartrolon E (TrtE), a secondary metabolite of a symbiotic bacterium of marine bivalve mollusks, is a promising antimalarial because it inhibits the growth of sexual and asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum at sub-nanomolar levels. The potency of TrtE warrants further investigation into its mechanism of action, cytotoxicity, and ease with which parasites may evolve resistance to it.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rapatbhorn Patrapuvich
- Drug Research Unit for Malaria, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Sreekanth Kokkonda
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rimi Chakrabarti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Medicine, Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim, Goa, India
| | - Patchara Sriwichai
- Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Roberta M. O'Connor
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - John White
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Mbassi DE, Pfaffendorf C, Mombo-Ngoma G, Kreuels B, Ramharter M. Real-life effectiveness of anti-malarial treatment regimens: what are we aiming for? Malar J 2023; 22:189. [PMID: 37340324 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04606-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Three-day artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is the current standard of care for the treatment of malaria. However, specific drug resistance associated with reduced efficacy of ACT has been observed, therefore necessitating the clinical development of new anti-malarial drugs and drug combinations. Previously, Single Encounter Radical Cure and Prophylaxis (SERCAP) has been proposed as ideal target-product-profile for any new anti-malarial drug regimen as this would improve treatment adherence besides ensuring complete cure and prevention of early reinfection. Arguably, this concept may not be ideal as it (1) necessitates administration of an excessively high dose of drug to achieve plasmodicidal plasma levels for a sufficient time span, (2) increases the risk for drug related adverse drug reactions, and (3) leaves the patient with a one-time opportunity to achieve-or not-cure by a single drug intake. Over the past years, SERCAP has led to the halt of promising drug development programmes, leading to potentially unnecessary attrition in the anti-malarial development pipeline. One proposition could be the concept of single-day multi-dose regimens as a potentially better alternative, as this allows to (1) administer a lower dose of the drug at each time-point leading to better tolerability and safety, (2) increase treatment adherence based on the intake of the anti-malarial drug within 24 h when malaria-related symptoms are still present, and (3) have more than one opportunity for adequate intake of the drug in case of early vomiting or other factors causing reduced bioavailability. In line with a recently published critical viewpoint on the concept of SERCAP, an alternative proposition is-in contrast to the current World Health Organization (WHO) treatment guidelines-to aim for less than three days, but still multiple-dose anti-malarial treatment regimens. This may help to strike the optimal balance between improving treatment adherence, maximizing treatment effectiveness, while keeping attrition of new drugs and drug regimens as low as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothea Ekoka Mbassi
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel, Hamburg, Germany
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
| | - Christoph Pfaffendorf
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Hamburg, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ghyslain Mombo-Ngoma
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Implementation Research, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
| | - Benno Kreuels
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Implementation Research, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Ramharter
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel, Hamburg, Germany.
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon.
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Bernhard S, Kaiser M, Burri C, Mäser P. Fexinidazole for Human African Trypanosomiasis, the Fruit of a Successful Public-Private Partnership. Diseases 2022; 10:90. [PMID: 36278589 PMCID: PMC9589988 DOI: 10.3390/diseases10040090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
After 100 years of chemotherapy with impractical and toxic drugs, an oral cure for human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is available: Fexinidazole. In this case, we review the history of drug discovery for HAT with special emphasis on the discovery, pre-clinical development, and operational challenges of the clinical trials of fexinidazole. The screening of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) HAT-library by the Swiss TPH had singled out fexinidazole, originally developed by Hoechst (now Sanofi), as the most promising of a series of over 800 nitroimidazoles and related molecules. In cell culture, fexinidazole has an IC50 of around 1 µM against Trypanosoma brucei and is more than 100-fold less toxic to mammalian cells. In the mouse model, fexinidazole cures both the first, haemolymphatic, and the second, meningoencephalitic stage of the infection, the latter at 100 mg/kg twice daily for 5 days. In patients, the clinical trials managed by DNDi and supported by Swiss TPH mainly conducted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo demonstrated that oral fexinidazole is safe and effective for use against first- and early second-stage sleeping sickness. Based on the positive opinion issued by the European Medicines Agency in 2018, the WHO has released new interim guidelines for the treatment of HAT including fexinidazole as the new therapy for first-stage and non-severe second-stage sleeping sickness caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (gHAT). This greatly facilitates the diagnosis and treatment algorithm for gHAT, increasing the attainable coverage and paving the way towards the envisaged goal of zero transmission by 2030.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Bernhard
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marcel Kaiser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Burri
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Mäser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
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Agudelo Higuita NI, White BP, Franco-Paredes C, McGhee MA. An update on prevention of malaria in travelers. Ther Adv Infect Dis 2021; 8:20499361211040690. [PMID: 34484736 PMCID: PMC8408895 DOI: 10.1177/20499361211040690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria, a parasitic disease caused by protozoa belonging to the genus Plasmodium, continues to represent a formidable public health challenge. Despite being a preventable disease, cases reported among travelers have continued to increase in recent decades. Protection of travelers against malaria, a potentially life-threatening disease, is of paramount importance, and it is therefore necessary for healthcare professionals to be up to date with the most recent recommendations. The present review provides an update of the existent measures for malaria prevention among travelers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bryan Pinckney White
- Infectious Diseases Clinical Pharmacist, Oklahoma University Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Carlos Franco-Paredes
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Miranda Ann McGhee
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, 800 Stanton L. Young Blvd., Suite 7300, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
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