by Gokool S, Townson S, Freeman A, Siemienski-Kleyn J, Zubrzycki J, Tagboto S, Hübner MP, Scandale I. Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(2): 210. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16020210
Summary: Onchocerciasis is mainly treated and controlled with ivermectin, which has high activity against the microfilarial stage of Onchocerca volvulus but limited activity against the long-lived, tissue-dwelling adult nematodes. We urgently need new drugs to combat these parasites, ideally with macrofilaricidal activity. The authors of this study investigated the potential for repurposing a range of existing FDA-approved drugs for use against Onchocerca. 106 drugs from the Pharmakon-1600 library were tested against O. gutturosa adult male parasites in vitro to assess their impact on motility and viability. 44 drugs had marginal/moderate activity and 23 drugs had good activity, including atovaquone, isradipine, losartan, rifaximin, cefaclor, and pyrantel pamoate. Some of the identified hits may be worth further investigation as anti-Onchocerca drug candidates.
