A pilot randomised trial of induced blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum infections in healthy volunteers for testing efficacy of new antimalarial drugs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Critical to the development of new drugs for treatment of malaria is the capacity to safely evaluate their activity in human subjects. The approach that has been most commonly used is testing in subjects with natural malaria infection, a methodology that may expose symptomatic subjects to the risk of ineffective treatment. Here we describe the development and pilot testing of a system to undertake experimental infection using blood stage Plasmodium falciparum parasites (BSP). The objectives of the study were to assess the feasibility and safety of induced BSP infection as a method for assessment of efficacy of new drug candidates for the treatment of P. falciparum infection.

Methods and findings

A prospective, unblinded, Phase IIa trial was undertaken in 19 health

SUBMITTER: McCarthy JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3159571 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature