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Home > Research and development > Portfolio

Visceral leishmaniasis 

LXE408 Novartis for VL

Home > Research and development > Portfolio

Visceral leishmaniasis

LXE408 Novartis for VL

objective

Develop LXE408 as a potential new oral treatment for visceral leishmaniasis

project start
2020

current phase of drug development

Discovery project phase
Drug Discovery
Translation project phase
Translational research
clinical trials icon
Clinical trials
Treatment Access
Registration & access

updated 24 Feb 2025

DNDi and Novartis initiated a collaboration and licence agreement in early 2020 to jointly develop LXE408 as a potential new oral treatment for visceral leishmaniasis. The first-in-class compound was discovered at Novartis and has received financial support from Wellcome and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP).

Find out more about our project developing LXE408 for cutaneous leishmaniasis

Project updates

2024

Recruitment in India progressed well, with 88 adult patients enrolled by the end of 2024. Following an interim analysis conducted in April, the Independent Data Monitoring Committee recommended continuing the study and expanding it to include ten adolescents. The first adolescent was included in November.

In parallel, the first patient in the Ethiopia study was enrolled in April, and 36 patients had been recruited by the end of the year.

Both studies are planned to be completed in 2025, with results expected to be available in early 2026.

2023

The second site for the Phase II study in India was initiated at Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS) in Patna in August. By the end of 2023, 39 patients were enrolled across the two study sites and 17 patients had completed the study. In parallel, institutional ethics committee and regulatory approvals were obtained for the Phase II study in Ethiopia, where the study site initiation visit was conducted in February 2024. The first patient in Ethiopia is expected to be enrolled in Q1 2024.

2022

The Phase I clinical study report was completed in August 2022, with the results supporting continuation to Phase II. All regulatory approvals for the Phase II study in India were received and the site initiation visit took place in November 2022. The first patient was enrolled in December 2022. In parallel, preparations continued for a separate Phase II clinical trial in Ethiopia, with enrolment expected to begin in early 2023.

2021

A Phase I multiple ascending dose study of LXE408 was completed in September 2021, when the last visit of the last participant was completed. All results are expected in the first quarter of 2022. The compound showed good tolerability in Phase I, supporting the continuation of the clinical study to Phase II. Preparation is underway to initiate a Phase II study with participants with visceral leishmaniasis in India in 2022.

2020

A Phase I multiple ascending dose study of LXE408 began in 2020 but faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results are expected in mid-2021. Planning is underway for a Phase II study to commence in India in 2022.

News & resources

  • 3 May 2024 – Pill to cure kala-azar moves closer to reality, The Star
  • 23 April 2024 – دخول علاج فموي جديد وواعد وصديق لمرضى الكالازار المرحلة الثانية من التطوير السريري في إثيوبيا, Al Jazeera
  • 23 April 2024 – በኢትዮጵያ በምርምር ላይ የሚገኘው የካላዛር ህክምና መድሃኒት ወደ ምዕራፍ ሁለት ክሊኒካል ሙከራ ደረጃ ተሸጋገረ, ENA
  • 23 April 2024 – Clinical trial for oral treatment against Kala-azar enters phase II, KBC
  • 23 April 2024 – Phase 2 of a clinical trial for drug targeting, CGTN Africa
  • 23 April 2024 – Promising patient-friendly oral drug against visceral leishmaniasis enters Phase II clinical trial in Ethiopia
  • 6 July 2022 – Wellcome renews partnership with DNDi to develop new generation drugs to treat leishmaniasis
  • 25 February 2020 – Novartis and DNDi to collaborate on the development of a new oral drug to treat visceral leishmaniasis

Clinical trials documents

  • DNDi-LXE408-01-VL / CLXE408A12201R

    Protocol synopsis

  • DNDi-LXE408-02-VL / CLXE408A12202R

    Protocol synopsis

Partners

  • Indian Council of Medical Research, India
  • Kala Azar Medical Research Centre, India
  • National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, India, India
  • Novartis, Switzerland and USA
  • Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), India
  • University of Gondar Hospital, Ethiopia
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  • Indian Council of Medical Research
  • ,India
  • Kala Azar Medical Research Centre
  • ,India
  • National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, India
  • ,India
  • Novartis
  • ,Switzerland and USA
  • Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS)
  • ,India
  • University of Gondar Hospital
  • ,Ethiopia
  • Novartis, Switzerland and USA
  • Kala Azar Medical Research Centre, India
  • Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), India
  • University of Gondar Hospital, Ethiopia
  • National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, India, India
  • Indian Council of Medical Research, India

Funding

  • Europe - European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP2)
  • Germany - Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) through KfW
  • Norway - Norwegian Government
  • Switzerland - Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
  • UK - UK International Development
​
  • Médecins Sans Frontières International
  • Other private foundations and individuals
  • Wellcome
​

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