Shooting At the DARC: Potential Issues with Species-Specific Antimalarials

I.      Woolley; K.      Horne

Abstract

Scientific drug design enables the production of novel agents that may be specific for individual malaria species, particularly by targeting their methods of cellular entry. Though there are practical and theoretical barriers to introducing novel agents into clinical practice, there may also be theoretical benefits to encourage further investigation of such agents, including a reduction in the rate of development of falciparum resistance. This paper discusses the potential risks and benefits such agents using the example of CCR5 blockers, drugs which are already in use for HIV treatment, but may be able to block DARC, the site of Plasmodium vivax into the human red blood cell.

Keywords: DARC, malaria, chemokine receptors, Scientific drug design, novel agents, individual malaria species, theoretical barriers, falciparum resistance, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium, human red blood cell, falciparum, thalassemia, antimicrobials, pathogen