by Kratz JM. Acta Tropica 2019, 198: 105-107. doi:10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105107
Summary: Only two old nitroheterocyclic drugs, benznidazole and nifurtimox, are currently available for the treatment of Chagas disease, both of which have several limitations. Despite the clear unmet medical need, the development of new treatments is challenging, partly due to a lack of understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease and parasite-host interactions. New knowledge and tools are becoming available, but the number of new chemical entities progressing through the preclinical pipeline is inadequate. It is uncertain whether safe, effective, and accessible new drugs will be available in the near future. This viewpoint concludes that the Chagas disease research community must commit to even greater collaboration to ensure that patients eventually benefit from better treatments.
