Portland scientists' new malaria drug looks like a breakthrough, outside experts say [View all]

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Source: The Oregonian

The drug "has the potential to prevent transmission of the disease. It has the potential to prevent the disease altogether," says Michael Riscoe, professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at OHSU and director of the Experimental Chemotherapy Lab at the Portland VA Medical Center.

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The new drug is "very promising" and the published study appears comprehensive and sophisticated, in contrast to past advances that did not pan out, said Malcolm Gardner, a professor and malaria researcher at the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute who was not part of the ELQ-300 research. "Its potency seems very high."

The new compound has so far been shown to work only on mice and mosquitoes. But the mosquito part of the research could be significant – because the insect carries the malaria parasite between humans. Instead of carrier mosquitoes transmitting the disease to humans with their bites, says Riscoe, a mosquito biting a human treated with the new drug could transmit the cure to the bug, eliminating the parasite.

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2013/03/portland_scientists_new_malari.html#incart_m-rpt-2