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. 2011 May;11(10):1275–1283. doi: 10.2174/156802611795429185

Table 1.

Parasitic Disease Target Product Profiles for Human African Trypanosomiasis and Malariaa

General desired features for a drug include:

  • Therapeutic area

  • Spectrum of activity (e.g. active against all species including drug resistant isolates)

  • Target population (e.g. pregnant women and children)

  • Dose, frequency and route of administration (e.g. once a day, oral route)

  • Safety and efficacy (better than existing treatments)

  • Toxicity (minimal side effects, better than existing treatments)

  • Potential for use in drug combinations (minimise emergence of resistance)

  • Few contraindications (e.g. minimal drug-drug interactions; suitable for use in HIV/AIDS or TB co-infections)

  • Low potential of developing parasite resistance

  • Stability under tropical conditions (i.e. > 2 years shelf life at 40 °C and 75% relative humidity)

  • Cost of goods (i.e. equivalent to or cheaper than existing treatments)

A TPP for uncomplicated falciparum malaria includes:

  • Oral (ideally once per day for not more than three days)

  • Low cost of goods (~US$1 per full course of treatment)

  • Effective against drug-resistant parasites (e.g. those that have developed resistance to chloroquine or Fansidar)

  • Fast acting and curative within three days

  • Potential for combination with other agents

  • Paediatric formulation should be available

  • Stable under tropical conditions

A TPP for human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) includes:

  • Active against T.b.gambiense and T.b.rhodesiense

  • Active against melarsoprol refractory strains

  • Efficacy against early and late-stage disease desirable

  • Formulation (oral against early stage desirable; parenteral against late stage acceptable)

  • Curative in 14 days (late stage) or less (early stage)

  • Cost less than current treatment for early stage disease ($100-140)

  • Safe in pregnancy

  • Stable under tropical conditions

a

Additional TPPs for neglected diseases such as schistosomiasis are available elsewhere [3]. Further details of the various TPPs for other malaria indications are available from Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) website (http://www.mmv.org/). Additional desirable and acceptable criteria for visceral leishmaniasis and Chagas’ disease are available from Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (http://www.dndi.org/)