Drug discovery call for proposals

Drug discovery call for proposals

Drug discovery call for proposals

MMV welcomes proposals in the following areas:

1. Compounds having activity against Plasmodium falciparum blood stages in vitro (TCP1-TPP1) for use in treatment or chemoprevention (TCP1-TPP2) 

Novel chemical series with asexual blood stage EC50<500nM and which have one or more of the following key features:

  • A known, novel mechanism of action without cross resistance to clinical or marketed antimalarials.  Priority will be given to mechanisms that are not represented in the MMV portfolio.
  • An inability to select resistant mutants in vitro after at least 60 days’ incubation with compound
  • Potency on early stage gametocytes similar to that for asexual blood stages
  • Potency on stage V gametocytes (TCP5) similar to that for asexual blood stages and evidence of transmission blocking to the mosquito
  • Potency on P. falciparum liver stages  similar to that for asexual blood stages
  • A long half-life (ideally >4h in rodents) and confirmed in vivo efficacy.  Compound series with very long rodent half-lives (>10h) are of particular interest.

For advanced series, we are seeking novel compounds with, ideally, a predicted human half-life >100h and a predicted oral single human dose <500mg

2. Compounds addressing the key priorities of the malaria eradication agenda (TCP3, and TCP6)

3. Novel families of molecules in the hit-to-lead or lead optimization stages, without G6PD deficiency liabilities that either:

  • kill or reactivate hypnozoites for use as part of a P. vivax radical cure;

or  

  • have oral endectocide activity suggesting human single monthly dose <100mgs

In each of the above, where possible, example compounds in the series should have measured in vitro physical property and metabolism data, e.g. solubility, LogD, microsomal intrinsic clearance (Clint). The MMVSola tool can be used to predict a human half-life and dose.

Before submitting a proposal, please see:

All applications must use the specified templates and should be sent electronically to proposals@mmv.org by 31st March 2023.