Killing the hypnozoite – drug discovery approaches to prevent relapse in Plasmodium vivax. (18th April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Campo, Brice; Vandal, Omar; Wesche, David L.; Burrows, Jeremy N.
• Is Part Of: Pathogens and global health. Volume 109:Number 3(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-04-18
• Subjects: Plasmodium vivax, -- Radical cure, -- Hypnozoite, -- Strategy, -- Drug discovery assays; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Public health -- International cooperation -- Periodicals; World health -- Periodicals; 362.1969
• DOI: 10.1179/2047773215Y.0000000013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2047-7724

Abstract

Abstract : The eradication of malaria will only be possible if effective, well-tolerated medicines kill hypnozoites in vivax and ovale malaria, and thus prevent relapses in patients. Despite progress in the 8-aminoquinoline series, with tafenoquine in Phase III showing clear benefits over primaquine, the drug discovery challenge to identify hypnozoiticidal or hypnozoite-activating compounds has been hampered by the dearth of biological tools and assays, which in turn has been limited by the immense scientific and logistical challenges associated with accessing relevant human tissue and sporozoites. This review summarises the existing drug discovery series and approaches concerning the goal to block relapse.