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UCT Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price added: “H3-D was
founded at UCT in 2010 for this very purpose: to develop
African expertise towards solving the health problems
that beset the developing world. We trust this clinical
candidate is the first of many contributions Professor
Chibale and his team will be making to the advancement
of international medicine.”
The aminopyridine series was initially identified by
Griffith University scientists in Australia as part of MMV’s
extensive malaria-screening campaign of around 6 million
compounds. A team of scientists from H3-D, led by
Professor Chibale, further scrutinised and explored the
antimalarial potential of the series. With parasitological,
pharmacological, and contract chemistry support from the
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Switzerland),
the Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation at Monash
University (Australia), and Syngene (India) respectively, the
H3-D team selected the most promising compounds from
the series to be optimised and retested. In just 18 months
the team had identified and developed a candidate
suitable for preclinical development.
Dr Tim Wells, MMV's Chief Scientific Officer, reiterated
that the discovery is a great achievement and an
excellent example of the quality of research that can
be fostered in Africa. “We look forward to seeing more
exciting compounds emerge from Kelly's team and
are proud to be collaborating with H3-D; not only is it
conducting excellent science today, it is also providing
world-class training for the next generation of African
scientists.”
The clinical candidate is in line to enter clinical trials in
early 2014.
What is so unique and exciting about MMV390048?
It is very potent: it displayed a complete cure
of animals infected with malaria parasites in
a single dose given orally, and thus has the
potential to cure millions of people.
It is active against a wide panel of resistant
strains of the malaria parasite.
Developing the drug has made possible
the training of more than 10 local scientists
and cemented strong relationships with
international partners.
Professor Kelly Chibale and his team (Dr Diego Gonzalez Cabrera, Dr Tanya Paquet,
Dr Ze Han, Dr Aloysius Nchinda, and Dr Leslie Street) share a moment in the laboratory
where they are blazing a trail in the fight against malaria.
Research Highlight
Research Highlight