Novel anti-malarial drug candidate discovered

WASHINGTON - Researchers discovered a novel compound that shows promise as a next generation treatment for drug resistant malaria.

Scientists at the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD), achieved the above feat in collaboration with researchers from the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF), the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and The Scripps Research Institute.

The findings demonstrate that the antimalarial candidate, spiroindolone NITD609, is effective against both strains of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium (P.) falciparum and P. vivax.

Through a novel mechanism NITD609 rapidly clears plasmodium in a malaria mouse model and shows pharmacological properties compatible with a once-daily dosing regimen.

“Malaria remains a scourge. The parasite has demonstrated a frustrating ability to outwit new medicines, from quinine to today’s unsettling increased tolerance to artemisinin derivatives. We are delighted that our scientists could provide this potential new malaria therapy, based on an unprecedented chemical structure and directed to a novel target,” said Mark Fishman, president, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research.

Further regulatory pharmacological and safety evaluation is currently ongoing and, provided the outcome of these studies is favourable, the compound could progress to Phase I human trials.

In the stuyd the research team outlines how they identified a potential target by identifying mutations that decreased the parasite’s sensitivity to this novel compound class.

“Using a novel Plasmodium whole-cell assay we were able to tap into the Novartis archive of 12,000 pure natural products and synthetic compounds to identify 275 compounds highly active against P. falciparum, the most prevalent and deadly form of malaria,” said Novartis Institute for Tropical Disease’s Bryan Yeung, project team head.

“From this set all but 17 compounds were discarded for failing to meet pharmacological and efficacy standards. Of the remaining compound class, spirotetrahydro-beta-carbolines or spiroindolones have favorable physical and chemical properties for drug development as well as a mechanism of action distinct from the currently used therapies based on aminoquinolines and artemisinin derivatives,” he added.

The study is published in Science. (ANI)