Malaria transmission blocking compounds: a patent review

Area of Science:

• Malariology
• Parasitology
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Malaria remains a significant global health challenge, with current control methods insufficient for eradication.
• Preventing malaria transmission is a key objective to reduce secondary infections.
• Novel drugs targeting Plasmodium sexual stages and innovative transmission-blocking methods are of increasing interest.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review innovative transmission-blocking inventions patented between 2015 and October 2021.
• To focus on chemical interventions, including small molecules, carbohydrates, and polypeptides, as potential 'chemical vaccines' against malaria transmission.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of patented inventions related to malaria transmission blocking.
• Analysis of chemical interventions targeting Plasmodium sexual stages and host-to-vector transmission.

Main Results:

• Significant acceleration in research and development of novel malaria transmission-blocking strategies.
• Patented inventions include small molecules, carbohydrates, and polypeptides aimed at preventing malaria transmission.
• Surface-delivery of antimalarial drugs to target transmission-stage parasites in mosquitoes shows high promise.

Conclusions:

• Despite the need for further research into parasite biology, innovative transmission-blocking strategies are rapidly advancing.
• Chemical interventions, particularly those utilizing surface-delivery of antimalarials, represent a promising new avenue for malaria control.
• These advancements open new possibilities for malaria transmission-blocking drug discovery.