by Walker M, Hamley JID, Milton P, Monnot F, Pédrique B, Basanez M-G. Nature Communications 2020, 11: 2685. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16442-y
Summary: The treatments used in mass drug administration for Lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis are predominantly active against the microfilarial progeny of adult worms. New treatments are needed, and several therapies and regimens are currently in (pre-)clinical testing. Clinical trial simulators have not been widely applied to neglected tropical diseases, where their resource-saving payoffs could be highly beneficial. The authors use an individual-based onchocerciasis transmission model that projects trial outcomes of a hypothetical drug that kills adult worms. They identify key design decisions that influence the power of clinical trials and discuss how clinical trial simulators help to inform target product profiles.
