by Kuzuki T, Perry B, Mowbray C. Yakugaku Zasshi 2022; 142(7):685-689. doi: 10.1248/yakushi.21-00210-1
Summary: The Neglected Tropical Disease Drug Discovery Booster engages pharmaceutical partners to share their in silico screening experience and proprietary chemical libraries to further develop new starting points for diseases such as visceral leishmaniasis and Chagas disease.
This collaborative approach allows DNDi to access new chemical space, elaborate the structure activity relationships around phenotypic screening hits, and access new starting points via innovative scaffold hops proposed by partners. Since 2015 the Booster has probed over 20 new “hits” for these diseases, successfully converting over half into new series for further exploitation. Some series have progressed into lead optimization; the most advanced is projected to deliver a preclinical candidate for leishmaniasis within the next 2 years.