Novartis researchers identify new drug target for malaria

Scientists at Swiss pharma major Novartis (NOVN: VX) have discovered a new drug target for treating malaria, with potential to prevent, block and treat multiple stages of the malaria life cycle. The on-going research to develop imidazopyrazines as a new treatment for malaria is supported by the Wellcome Trust and Medicines for Malaria Venture.

The discovery, which is published on-line in the journal Nature, identifies phosphatidylinositol-4 kinase (PfPI4K) as the target of the imidazopyrazines, a novel experimental antimalarial compound class that inhibits the development of multiple malaria-causing Plasmodium species at each stage of infection in the human host.

Each year malaria kills more than 660,000 people most of whom are African children. While current therapies are effective against the most common forms of malaria, recent publications suggest that the efficacy of the artemisinin-derivatives has been compromised in parts of South-East Asia. In addition, these therapies are only effective against the acute blood stages of the disease, thus leaving some patients at risk of relapse after initial treatment. Relapse prevention is especially important for P. vivax, which can form hypnozoites, dormant parasites that can persist in the liver for up to two years before reinitiating a blood-stage infection.