Papireddy Kancharla has a possible one-pill solution for malaria.
By Raif Karerat
An Indian American scientist is part of a research team at Portland State University (PSU) that has revealed a major breakthrough in malaria treatment, specifically, the possibility of a one-pill cure.
Papireddy Kancharla was among three scientists who announced the possible cure last week.
The compound they developed, which is based on a natural red pigment from soil bacteria, cured malaria in a single dose in animal models, PSU announced.
The study, which was published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, also noted that the new treatment works against drug-resistant strains of malaria.
Kevin Reynolds, the principal investigator, said he came across a paper from the 1970s that hinted at the pigment’s potential for treating malaria.
“I was looking at old literature and I read paper carefully and it stimulated me to thinking, ‘I wonder why this wasn’t pursued,'” Reynolds said, who also brought on scientist Jane Kelley.
PSU has a provisional patent for the compound. Additional work needs to be done into potential side effects and toxicity before it advances to human trials, which could take about five years, Reynolds said.
“What’s unique about our research is the potential to create a one-pill cure for malaria,†said Reynolds. “That’s huge because it’s not an injection that needs to be kept refrigerated and you wouldn’t need multiple doses.â€
According to World Health Organization (WHO) there were 198 million cases of malaria in 2013. Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites and spread through the bites of infected mosquitos resulting in more than half a million deaths each year, the majority of them children under five.