Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 28, 2025

Studying Cryptosporidium Infection in 3D Tissue-derived Human Organoid Culture Systems by Microinjection
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Studying Cryptosporidium Infection in 3D Tissue-derived Human Organoid Culture Systems by Microinjection

Published on: September 14, 2019

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Emerging treatment options for cryptosporidiosis

Melissa S Love1, Robert K M Choy2

  • 1Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA.

Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases
|July 15, 2021
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

New therapeutics for cryptosporidiosis are advancing, with promising drug candidates identified through various discovery approaches. Further research is needed to move these treatments to clinical trials and combat drug resistance.

Area of Science:

  • * Parasitology and Tropical Medicine
  • * Drug Discovery and Development

Background:

  • * Cryptosporidiosis, caused by the parasite Cryptosporidium, leads to severe health issues including diarrhea, malnutrition, and developmental problems in children.
  • * It disproportionately affects children in low-resource settings, contributing to long-term health deficits and vaccine failure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To review recent advancements in the development of novel therapeutics for cryptosporidiosis.
  • * To identify promising drug candidates and outline potential pathways for clinical development and regulatory approval.

Main Methods:

  • * Exploration of various drug discovery strategies, including target-based and phenotypic screening.
  • * Evaluation of repurposed drugs and novel chemical entities against Cryptosporidium.
  • * Assessment of lead compound activity in preclinical models and emerging pharmacokinetic data.

Main Results:

  • * Identification of several promising lead compounds, including inhibitors of specific synthetases and kinases.
  • * Testing of clofazimine in HIV patients with cryptosporidiosis showed ineffectiveness.
  • * Emerging understanding of the link between pharmacokinetic properties and in vivo efficacy.

Conclusions:

  • * Several compounds show potent activity and favorable safety profiles in preclinical studies.
  • * Advancing at least one candidate to clinical proof-of-concept is crucial.
  • * Developing combination therapies is recommended due to the risk of drug resistance.

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