Development of novel drugs for human African trypanosomiasis.

Abstract

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) or 'sleeping sickness' is a neglected tropical disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Novel models for funding pharmaceutical development against HAT are beginning to yield results. The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) rediscovered a nitroimidazole, fexinidazole, which is currently in Phase I clinical trials. Novel benzoxaboroles, discovered by Anacor, Scynexis and DNDi, have good pharmacokinetic properties in plasma and in the brain and are curative in a murine model of stage two HAT with brain infection. The Consortium for Parasitic Drug Development (CPDD) has identified a series of dicationic compounds that can cure a monkey model of stage two HAT. With other screening programs yielding hits, the pipeline for new HAT drugs might finally begin to fill.

• Authors: Reto Brun, Robert Don, Robert T Jacobs, Michael Zhuo Wang, Michael P Barrett
• Journal: Future microbiology (Future Microbiol) Vol. 6 Issue 6 Pg. 677-91 (Jun 2011) ISSN: 1746-0921 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 21707314 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
• Copyright: © 2011 Future Medicine Ltd

Chemical References

• Antiprotozoal Agents
• Benzoxazoles
• Nitroimidazoles
• fexinidazole

Topics

• Animals
• Antiprotozoal Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Benzoxazoles (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Disease Models, Animal
• Drug Evaluation, Preclinical (methods)
• Haplorhini
• Humans
• Mice
• Neglected Diseases (drug therapy, parasitology)
• Nitroimidazoles (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Trypanosoma brucei brucei (drug effects)
• Trypanosomiasis, African (drug therapy, parasitology)