A large international team of researchers has identified a small molecular compound as a possible basis for a vaccination against malaria. The active ingredient has proven effective in treating the infectious disease in a laboratory study. In their article published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the scientific group shows that theParasite behind malaria infections(Plasmodium falciparum) also has difficulty developing resistance to the compound in tests.
Development of a new vaccination against malaria
The study authors reported that previous research showed a dramatic decline in deaths from 2000 to 2015. However, the infection rate has increased significantly since 2016. This was because the pathogenic parasites that cause malaria had developed resistance to the drugs. This has led researchers to consider antimalarials that could kill the parasite through other mechanisms. The scientists began by studying 800 compounds from the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi. They are known to act against human cells in cancer tumors. Your effort was worth it. They found a compound called MMV688533 that killed the parasite. They then modified the compound to make it soluble and help it pass into the intestinal tract when taken as a single dose.
When testing the compound, researchers found that it was effective in treating malaria in mice with a single oral dose, worked quickly, and was effective in killing P. falciparum. In further tests, infected mice received the dose several times over a longer period of time. The results showed that the parasite had difficulty developing resistance to the compound. However, when he finally did, a higher dose still managed to eliminate him. Further tests should be carried outthis studysuggest whether the active ingredient is safe for general use or as a vaccination against malaria. Researchers are currently testing the compound in a Phase 1 clinical trial in Australia.
