title: Prodrugs of bisthiazolium salts are orally potent antimalarials.
abstract: We created neutral antimalarial prodrugs that deliver bisthiazolium compounds with antimalarial activity in the nanomolar range. These drugs primarily affect early intraerythrocytic stages through rapid, nonreversible cytotoxicity. The compounds are suitable for both parenteral and oral use and plasma promotes rapid conversion of the prodrug into the drug. We demonstrate that very low doses offer protection in a murine model of malaria. The drugs show great potential for curing high parasitemia with short-course treatments. Oral administration of the TE3 prodrug completely cures Plasmodium cynomolgi infection in rhesus monkeys. The drugs specifically accumulate inside infected erythrocytes, block phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis, and interact with hemozoin. To our knowledge, this class of compounds represents one of the most potent antimalarials tested to date. These unique properties signal a promising future for this class of antimalarial.
authors.affiliation: Unité Mixte de Recherche 5539, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Université Montpellier II, Case 107, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France. vial@univ-montp2.fr
authors.forename: Henri J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Vial
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wein
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Farenc
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kocken
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nicolas
authors.forename: Marie Laure
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ancelin
authors.forename: Francoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bressolle
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calas
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D051379:Mice; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D011355:Prodrugs; D013844:Thiazoles