title: New developments in anti-malarial target candidate and product profiles.
abstract: A decade of discovery and development of new anti-malarial medicines has led to a renewed focus on malaria elimination and eradication. Changes in the way new anti-malarial drugs are discovered and developed have led to a dramatic increase in the number and diversity of new molecules presently in pre-clinical and early clinical development. The twin challenges faced can be summarized by multi-drug resistant malaria from the Greater Mekong Sub-region, and the need to provide simplified medicines. This review lists changes in anti-malarial target candidate and target product profiles over the last 4 years. As well as new medicines to treat disease and prevent transmission, there has been increased focus on the longer term goal of finding new medicines for chemoprotection, potentially with long-acting molecules, or parenteral formulations. Other gaps in the malaria armamentarium, such as drugs to treat severe malaria and endectocides (that kill mosquitoes which feed on people who have taken the drug), are defined here. Ultimately the elimination of malaria requires medicines that are safe and well-tolerated to be used in vulnerable populations: in pregnancy, especially the first trimester, and in those suffering from malnutrition or co-infection with other pathogens. These updates reflect the maturing of an understanding of the key challenges in producing the next generation of medicines to control, eliminate and ultimately eradicate malaria.
authors.affiliation: Medicines for Malaria Venture, Route de Pré Bois 20, 1215, Geneva 15, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jeremy N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Burrows
authors.affiliation: Medicines for Malaria Venture, Route de Pré Bois 20, 1215, Geneva 15, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duparc
authors.affiliation: Neglected Infectious Diseases Consulting, Sevenoaks, Kent, UK.
authors.forename: Winston E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Gutteridge
authors.affiliation: Medicines for Malaria Venture, Route de Pré Bois 20, 1215, Geneva 15, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2261-9424
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hooft van Huijsduijnen
authors.affiliation: Medicines for Malaria Venture, Route de Pré Bois 20, 1215, Geneva 15, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Wiweka
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kaszubska
authors.affiliation: Medicines for Malaria Venture, Route de Pré Bois 20, 1215, Geneva 15, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Macintyre
authors.affiliation: FSG, Rue de Chantepoulet 25, 1201, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazzuri
authors.affiliation: Medicines for Malaria Venture, Route de Pré Bois 20, 1215, Geneva 15, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jörg J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Möhrle
authors.affiliation: Medicines for Malaria Venture, Route de Pré Bois 20, 1215, Geneva 15, Switzerland. wellst@mmv.org.
authors.forename: Timothy N C
authors.initials: TNC
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D000962:Antimalarials / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000639:trends*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials
keywords: Elimination drug discovery; Eradication drug discovery; Malaria; Medicines; Plasmodium; Target candidate profile; Target product profile