Series-5824 (MT)
Deliver an optimized lead candidate for Chagas disease
current phase of drug development
updated 3 Mar 2026
Through a two-year lead optimization collaboration, DNDi and Tanabe Pharma aim to optimize a novel and very promising T. cruzi active series identified through high-throughput screening of 51,200 compounds in MTPC’s proprietary library. To date, the series has progressed to the lead stage. Project partners plan to chemically derivatize the lead series using a well-defined and diversified medicinal chemistry strategy to improve its in vitro potency against the T. cruzi parasite while maintaining its favourable drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic properties and mitigating any safety liabilities. In parallel, DNDi and Tanabe Pharma will work to elucidate the mechanism of action of the series with the expert support of University of Dundee, and make use of this information to guide the lead optimization programme.
2025
The Chagas disease lead optimization project made considerable progress in 2025, with more than 150 compounds synthesized in collaboration with Tanabe Pharma. We maintained our medicinal chemistry strategy, focusing on enhancing T. cruzi activity while improving the drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic properties of the series to address safety risks. Significant advancements were made in identifying the series’ mechanism of action, thanks to expert support from the Centre for Medicines Discovery at the University of Oxford, and the University of Dundee.
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