Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 101, Issue 43, Pages 15458-15463Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0404037101
Keywords
malaria; chemotherapy; phospholipid metabolism; drug resistance; Plasmodium
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We created neutral antimalarial prodrugs that deliver bisthiazolium compounds with antimalarial activity in the nanomolar range. These drugs primarily affect early intraerythrocytic stages through rapid, nonreversible cytotoxicity. The compounds are suitable for both parenteral and oral use and plasma promotes rapid conversion of the prodrug into the drug. We demonstrate that very low doses offer protection in a murine model of malaria. The drugs show great potential for curing high parasitemia with short-course treatments. Oral administration of the TE3 prodrug completely cures Plasmodium, cynomolgi infection in rhesus monkeys. The drugs specifically accumulate inside infected erythrocytes, block phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis, and interact with hemozoin. To our knowledge, this class of compounds represents one of the most potent antimalarials tested to date. These unique properties signal a promising future for this class of antimalarial.
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