Journal Article

The past, present and future of anti-malarial medicines

Korsik, Marat, Todd, Matthew H, Tse, Edwin G

2019

Overview

Great progress has been made in recent years to reduce the high level of suffering caused by malaria worldwide. Notably, the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets for malaria prevention and the use of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for malaria treatment have made a significant impact. Nevertheless, the development of resistance to the past and present anti-malarial drugs highlights the need for continued research to stay one step ahead. New drugs are needed, particularly those with new mechanisms of action. Here the range of anti-malarial medicines developed over the years are reviewed, beginning with the discovery of quinine in the early 1800s, through to modern day ACT and the recently-approved tafenoquine. A number of new potential anti-malarial drugs currently in development are outlined, along with a description of the hit to lead campaign from which it originated. Finally, promising novel mechanisms of action for these and future anti-malarial medicines are outlined.

• Publisher: BioMed Central Ltd,BioMed Central,BMC
• Subject: Antimalarials / Antimalarials - pharmacology / Aquatic insects / Artemisinin / Care and treatment / Clinical trials / Dehydrogenases / Dihydrofolate reductase / Dosage and administration / Drug approval / Drug development / Drug discovery / Drugs / Erythrocytes / Halofantrine / Health / Human diseases / Humans / Insecticides / Malaria / Malaria - drug therapy / Mechanism of action / Medical research / Medicine / Methylene blue / Mosquitoes / Parasites / Patient outcomes / Plasmodium / Quinine / Review / Tafenoquine / Therapy / Vector-borne diseases