European researchers report major new malaria breakthrough

European researchers have identified an exciting new drug candidate which has shown to be effective against common malaria parasites including drug-resistant strains of the virus.

Called NITD609, the new drug was identified by researchers at the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD) working in collaboration with researchers from the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF), the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and The Scripps Research Institute.

In a study published this week in Nature, they showed that a single oral dose of NITD609 was shown to be effective in ridding mice of the two most common parasites for malaria Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax - while also proving effective against a range of drug-resistant strains.

NITD609 is different to most existing malaria drugs in that it works by quickly suppressing protein synthesis in the parasite. Its target was discovered by screening against a panel of parasite strains with defined genetic mutations. Strains with mutations in a protein called PfATP4 were impervious to its effects, suggesting the importance of this protein in facilitating NITD609.

The researchers noted that this mechanism of action indicates the potential for the compound to maintain its effectiveness against parasites that have evolved resistance to current anti-malarial therapies.

Project leader Bryan Yeung from the Novartis Institute of Tropical Diseases said that he and his team used a novel Plasmodium whole-cell assay to tap into the Novartis archive of 12 000 pure natural products and synthetic compounds. They subsequently identified 275 compounds that are highly active against P. falciparum, which is the most common and deadliest form of malaria.

"From this set all but 17 compounds were discarded for failing to meet pharmacological and efficacy standards,” he said.

“Of the remaining compound classes - the spirotetrahydro-beta-carbolines or spiroindolones - displayed the desired physicochemical properties for drug development as well as a mechanism of action distinct from the currently used therapies based on aminoquinolines and artemisinin derivatives."

According to data from the World Health Organisation (WHO), some 243 million new cases of malaria are reported each year with fatalaties in the region of 863,000, the majority of which are children in Africa.