Discovery and Structural Optimization of Acridones as Broad-Spectrum Antimalarials

J Med Chem. 2019 Apr 11;62(7):3475-3502. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01961. Epub 2019 Mar 21.

Abstract

Malaria remains one of the deadliest diseases in the world today. Novel chemoprophylactic and chemotherapeutic antimalarials are needed to support the renewed eradication agenda. We have discovered a novel antimalarial acridone chemotype with dual-stage activity against both liver-stage and blood-stage malaria. Several lead compounds generated from structural optimization of a large library of novel acridones exhibit efficacy in the following systems: (1) picomolar inhibition of in vitro Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage growth against multidrug-resistant parasites; (2) curative efficacy after oral administration in an erythrocytic Plasmodium yoelii murine malaria model; (3) prevention of in vitro Plasmodium berghei sporozoite-induced development in human hepatocytes; and (4) protection of in vivo P. berghei sporozoite-induced infection in mice. This study offers the first account of liver-stage antimalarial activity in an acridone chemotype. Details of the design, chemistry, structure-activity relationships, safety, metabolic/pharmacokinetic studies, and mechanistic investigation are presented herein.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acridones / chemistry*
  • Acridones / pharmacology*
  • Acridones / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Antimalarials / chemistry*
  • Antimalarials / pharmacology*
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Discovery / methods*
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Malaria / drug therapy
  • Mice
  • Plasmodium / classification
  • Plasmodium / drug effects
  • Species Specificity
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Acridones
  • Antimalarials