Scientific Publications-2010-HAT

2010

Fexinidazole – A New Oral Nitroimidazole Drug Candidate Entering Clinical Development for the Treatment of Sleeping Sickness by Torreele E, Bourdin Trunz B, Tweats D, Kaiser M, Brun R, Mazué G, Bray M A, Pécoul B. PLoS NTD, 2010 December, Vol. 4, Issue 12, e923.
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a fatal parasitic disease caused by trypanosomes. Current treatment options for HAT are scarce, toxic, no longer effective, or very difficult to administer, in particular for the advanced, fatal stage of the disease (stage 2, chronic HAT). Here it is shown that fexinidazole, a 2-substituted 5-nitroimidazole rediscovered by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) after extensive compound mining efforts, could be a short-course, safe and effective oral treatment for both acute and chronic HAT and that could be implemented at the primary health care level.
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NECT Is Next: Implementing the New Drug Combination Therapy for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense Sleeping Sickness by Yun O, Priotto G, Tong J, Flevaud L, Chappuis F. PLoS NTD, 2010 May, 4(5):e720 
In April 2009, a new treatment option for second-stage T. b. gambiense HAT, nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy (NECT), was added to the WHO Essential Medicines List (EML). In the current context, NECT stands as the most promising first-line treatment for second-stage T. b. gambiense HAT. The article describes the developments and challenges in rolling out and implementing NECT in HAT-endemic areas.
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