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UCT group pioneering single-dose malaria cure
19 September 2012
New hope: Prof Kelly Chibale and Minister of Science and Technology Naledi Pandor address the press. |
The compound, MMV390048, from the aminopyridine class, not only has the potential to become part of a single-dose cure for all strains of malaria, but could also block transmission of the parasite from person to person. On the basis of initial results it was selected by MMV for further development, making it the first compound researched on African soil to enter pre-clinical development in partnership with MMV.
"We are very excited that this promising compound, researched by African scientists, has been selected by MMV for further development," said Chibale, founder of H3-D.
"This is truly a proud day for African science and African scientists. Our team is hopeful that the compound will emerge from rigorous testing as an extremely effective medicine for malaria – a disease that accounts for 24% of total child deaths in sub-Saharan Africa."
The aminopyridine series was initially identified by Griffith University scientists in Australia as part of MMV's extensive malaria-screening campaign of around 6 million compounds. A team of scientists from H3-D, led by Chibale, further scrutinised and explored the anti-malarial potential of the series. With parasitological, pharmacological and contract chemistry support from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Switzerland), the Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation at Monash University (Australia) and Syngene (India), the H3-D team selected the most promising compounds from the series to be optimised and re-tested.
Chibale notes that: "H3-D and MMV achieved MMV390048 as a clinical candidate in record time. In the process we have developed a unique model for successful technology platforms, and generic modern pharmaceutical industry expertise and skills, to discover drugs in potentially any disease area in Africa."