EUR 400,000 for New Malaria Drug

17 December 2009, Munich and Hamburg – The Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNI) has received funds of EUR 400,000 from the City of Hamburg for the development of a new anti-malaria drug. In cooperation with the European ScreeningPort, this may represent a crucial step in combating the malaria parasite.

Dr Carsten Wrenger and his team at the BNI have discovered an essential metabolic pathway in malaria parasites that is not present in humans and is therefore an excellent target for new drugs. Specific inhibitors of this pathway will now be sought using high-throughput screening.

‘Many research projects end at this point,’ comments Prof. Dr Rolf Horstmann, Chairman of the BNI. ‘However, in the European ScreeningPort, we have a partner that offers an essential technology for developing new drugs based on our results. The situation is particularly urgent in the case of malaria. Every 30 seconds, a child dies of the infection, and experts are very concerned by initial findings indicating that the parasites could be developing resistance to the newest anti-malaria drugs.’

With support from Ascenion, the BNI’s technology transfer partner, a pilot project with European ScreeningPort has been set up. An initial screening of 2,500 compounds has already delivered first promising hits. ‘The view down the microscope was very impressive,’ comment Meike Johannsen and Ann-Kathrin Grützmacher from Hamburg’s Ministry of Science and Research after a visit to the BNI. ‘It is amazing to see how the growth of the parasites is affected by the addition of certain active agents. Projects such as this demonstrate that Hamburg is one of the leading life science locations in Europe.’It is still a long way from today’s results to a usable anti-malaria drug, requiring further investments in the double-figure million Euro range. However, the financial support from the City of Hamburg will provide tremendous leverage, enabling the project to reach a stage at which subsequent funding from large foundations, funds and federal funding programmes becomes possible.‘This is an excellent example of how research, politics and public-private institutions can cooperate in bringing a worthwhile research project to fruition,’ comments Dr Peter Ruile, COO of Ascenion. Norgenta North German Life Science Agency was also instrumental in supporting the application for funding from the City of Hamburg.