Repurposing of Drugs Is a Viable Approach to Develop Therapeutic Strategies against Central Nervous System Related Pathogenic Amoebae
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Published on: October 27, 2013
Ayaz Anwar1, Naveed Ahmed Khan2, Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui2
1Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science and Technology, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Selangor, Malaysia.
Abstract:
Brain-eating amoebae including Acanthamoeba spp., Naegleria fowleri, and Balamuthia mandrillaris cause rare infections of the central nervous system that almost always result in death. The high mortality rate, lack of interest for drug development from pharmaceutical industries, and no available effective drugs present an alarming challenge. The current drugs employed in the management and therapy of these devastating diseases are amphotericin B, miltefosine, chlorhexidine, pentamidine, and voriconazole which are generally used in combination. However, clinical evidence shows that these drugs have limited efficacy and high host cell cytotoxicity. Repurposing of drugs is a practical approach to utilize commercially available, U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved drugs for one disease against rare diseases caused by brain-eating amoebae. In this Perspective, we highlight some of the success stories of drugs repositioned against neglected parasitic diseases and identify future potential for effective and sustainable drug development against brain-eating amoebae infections.
Insights
Brain-eating amoebae infections are deadly, with limited treatment options. Drug repurposing offers a promising strategy to find effective therapies for these rare, neglected parasitic diseases.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Parasitology
Background:
- Brain-eating amoebae (e.g., *Acanthamoeba*, *Naegleria fowleri*, *Balamuthia mandrillaris*) cause rare, fatal central nervous system infections.
- High mortality, lack of pharmaceutical interest, and limited drug efficacy pose significant challenges.
- Current treatments (e.g., amphotericin B, miltefosine) show low efficacy and high cytotoxicity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore drug repurposing as a viable strategy for treating brain-eating amoebae infections.
- To highlight successful drug repositioning in neglected parasitic diseases.
- To identify potential avenues for sustainable drug development against these amoebic infections.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on drug repurposing for neglected parasitic diseases.
- Analysis of current therapeutic agents for brain-eating amoebae infections.
- Identification of FDA-approved drugs with potential for repositioning.
Main Results:
- Drug repurposing has demonstrated success in combating other neglected parasitic diseases.
- Existing drugs for brain-eating amoebae infections have limited effectiveness and significant side effects.
- Several commercially available drugs may hold potential for treating these rare infections.
Conclusions:
- Drug repurposing presents a practical and sustainable approach to developing new therapies for brain-eating amoebae.
- Further research is needed to validate and optimize repurposed drugs for clinical use.
- Addressing the challenge of rare, neglected diseases requires innovative therapeutic strategies.
