The new molecule has the potential to revolutionize treatment for the deeply neglected and hard-to-treat disease, as the Eastern Africa region charts the way to its elimination.
It causes fever, weight loss, spleen and liver enlargement, and, if not treated, death. Kala-azar is transmitted by the bite of infected sandflies and is endemic in, mainly in Eastern Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. One billion people are at risk globally and Eastern Africa has currently the highest number of cases. As for other vector-borne diseases, climate change is changing the epidemiology of leishmaniasis and could lead to its expansion to new areas.
'Our hope is that this new oral treatment will be efficacious and less toxic and can be given to patients at the primary healthcare level, close to their homes. This would help them access treatment earlier, which could significantly decrease morbidity and transmission. If the trial is successful, it could go a long way toward enabling the sustainable elimination of this terrible disease.'
'We are moving towards a new generation of treatments for leishmaniasis. Finding new treatments is key if we want to sustainably eliminate visceral leishmaniasis in all parts of the world, including in African countries where the burden remains high. We need medical innovation,' said Dr Fabiana Alves, Director of Leishmaniasis programme at DNDi.