Discovered compound to rapidly eliminate malaria parasite

An international group of researchers has found a promising anti-malarial compound which tricks the immune system to rapidly destroy red blood cells infected with the malaria parasite but leave healthy cells unharmed. The compound, (+)-SJ733, was developed from a molecule identified in a previous study that helped to jump start worldwide anti-malarial drug development efforts. Malaria is caused by a parasite spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. The disease remains a major health threat to more than half the world’s population, particularly children. The World Health Organization estimates that in Africa a child dies of malaria every minute. Researchers determined that (+)-SJ733 uses a novel mechanism to kill the parasite by recruiting the immune system to eliminate malaria-infected red blood cells. In a mouse model of malaria, a single dose of (+)-SJ733 killed 80 percent of malaria parasites within 24 hours. After 48 hours the parasite was undetectable. Whole genome sequencing of the Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest of the malaria parasites, revealed that (+)-SJ733 disrupted activity of the ATP4 protein in the parasites. The protein functions as a pump that the parasites depend on to maintain the proper sodium balance by removing excess sodium. Planning has begun to move (+)-SJ733 from the laboratory into the clinic beginning with a safety study of the drug in healthy adults.