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As parasite resistance to artemisinin and partner drugs threatens malaria control, alternative therapies are needed. Now, investigators have conducted two phase I studies to describe the safety and efficacy of DSM265, a novel antimalarial drug that inhibits parasite dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, essential for pyrimidine biosynthesis.
McCarthy and colleagues conducted a two-part, phase Ia/Ib randomized study involving healthy Australian men. In part one, 73 participants received either DSM265 (in single doses varying from 25 mg to 1200 mg) or placebo after either fasting or eating a fatty meal. Peak plasma levels were reached in 1.5 to 4 hours, and plasma concentrations exceeded Plasmodium falciparum minimum inhibitory concentration for >8 da…