The non-profit medical research organization Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) welcomes a new grant from the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT Fund) of approximately JPY 99 million (approximately EUR 0.6 million), for a collaborative project with Nagasaki University, the University of Dundee, and Eisai Co., Ltd. (Eisai). The project aims to improve the success rate of Chagas disease drug discovery by enabling earlier identification of promising drug candidates.
Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that affects an estimated 8 million people, primarily in Latin America. The disease can lead to severe cardiac complications years after infection and may be fatal if left untreated. Although treatments are available, they require lengthy treatment courses and are associated with significant side effects, contributing to low adherence. Current treatments have not been proven effective in chronic, symptomatic stages of the disease. There remains an urgent need for safer, more effective, and patient-friendly medicines, particularly for patients with symptomatic chronic infection.
One of the major challenges in Chagas disease drug discovery is early-stage identification of compounds capable of eliminating the parasite that causes the disease. Many drug candidates that show promise in early standard laboratory tests fail later in the drug development process because they are unable to achieve full parasite clearance. This high rate of attrition increases development costs and delays the delivery of improved treatments to patients.
This GHIT-supported project aims to increase the success rate of Chagas disease drug discovery by developing innovative tools and approaches that can more reliably identify compounds with the potential to achieve sterile cure, meaning complete elimination of the parasite. By improving the ability to select the most promising drug candidates earlier in the discovery process, the project seeks to strengthen the overall efficiency of Chagas disease drug development and accelerate progress toward new treatments.
A key innovative aspect of the project is the development of highly sensitive assays capable of detecting low numbers of surviving parasites that conventional methods may fail to identify. These tools are expected to provide earlier and more accurate indications of whether a drug candidate has the potential to deliver sterile cure, reducing the risk of costly late-stage failures. A proprietary compound collection will also be screened during this project, and the identified hits will be evaluated with the new, innovative assay systems. The goal is to identify promising new series of compounds targeting T. cruzi parasites. In addition, the project integrates mechanistic studies of drug combinations at an early stage of discovery, providing new insights that could support the rational design of future therapies.
The project is led by Nagasaki University, which is responsible for developing the high-throughput screening methods and conducting studies to investigate the mechanisms of action of hit compounds. The University of Dundee will develop and apply advanced imaging-based assays to evaluate complete parasite clearance. Eisai is providing an extensive compound library for screening and supporting assay implementation. DNDi is coordinating the project, providing reference compounds and offering strategic guidance to support the development of robust tools that advance Chagas disease research and benefit the broader research community.
The tools and methodologies developed through this project will be shared openly with the global research community to support broader efforts to improve success rates in Chagas disease drug discovery, accelerate innovation in the field, and expand treatment options for affected populations.
For more information about Chagas disease and DNDi’s work on the disease, please visit: Chagas disease | DNDi
About DNDi
The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) is a not-for-profit medical research organization that discovers, develops, and delivers safe, effective, and affordable treatments for neglected populations. DNDi is developing medicines for sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, parasitic worm diseases, mycetoma, dengue, cryptococcal meningitis, hepatitis C, and viruses of pandemic potential. Its research priorities include children’s health, gender equity and gender-responsive R&D, and diseases impacted by climate change. Since its creation in 2003, DNDi has collaborated with public and private partners worldwide to deliver 17 new treatments for six deadly diseases, saving millions of lives. dndi.org
Media contacts
Yoko Noda (DNDi Tokyo)
ynoda@dndi.org
Phone: +81 70 4465 5453
Frédéric Ojardias (DNDi Geneva)
fojardias@dndi.org
Phone: +41 79 431 6216
Photo credit: DNDi
