Screening the pandemic response box identified benzimidazole carbamates, Olorofim and ravuconazole as promising drug candidates for the treatment of eumycetoma
Overview
Paper Summary
This research screened a library of drug-like molecules for activity against five causative agents of eumycetoma, a neglected fungal disease. Four compounds (fenbendazole, carbendazim, tafenoquine, and MMV1578570) inhibited all five species in vitro, and four (fenbendazole, MMV1782387, ravuconazole, and olorofim) prolonged survival in an infected insect model. Benzimidazole carbamates, a class including fenbendazole and carbendazim, emerged as particularly promising candidates.
Explain Like I'm Five
Scientists found some special medicines that can fight a yucky disease caused by tiny germs. They found a few, like ones called benzimidazole carbamates, olorofim, and ravuconazole, that are good at stopping these germs and even helped sick bugs feel better!
Possible Conflicts of Interest
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Open Access Policy supported the work performed by MMV on the Pandemic Response Box presented in this study. No other conflicts were disclosed by the authors.
Identified Limitations
Rating Explanation
This study uses a creative open-source approach to screen a diverse library of compounds for activity against a neglected tropical disease. The identification of several promising candidates, including already-approved drugs that could be repurposed, is a significant step forward. The methodology is sound, but the reliance on an invertebrate in vivo model is a notable limitation.
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