Searching for life-changing medicines
Around a billion people are at risk from the parasitic disease leishmaniasis. In its most severe form, it can cause fever, weight loss, anemia, and enlarge the spleen and liver. Left untreated, it is fatal.
Medical treatments vary by region, but most are lengthy and come with significant side effects. In East Africa, for example, it is treated with two painful injections a day, for 17 days or via an intravenous infusion. In both cases, patients must remain in a sterile environment, meaning they miss out on income or school during their extended hospital stay.
AlphaFold has helped researchers better understand how to target a key protein, creating a path towards a new, promising, anti-parasitic drug. That could potentially reshape what treatment for the condition looks like and improve the lives of millions of people.
Research credits
- Dr Benjamin Perry, Medicinal Chemist, Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi)
- Dr Gina Muthoni Ouattara, Senior Medical Manager, DNDi
- Professor Michael Barrett, University of Glasgow