Researchers at CQMED-UNICAMP have demonstrated that their molecule of interest, TCMDC-135051, can selectively inhibit an essential protein in the lifecycle of Plasmodium falciparum, a malaria-causing parasite. Their results are published in the journal Science, and mark a major development in antimalarial drug discovery.
TCMDC-135051 acts on P. falciparum's cyclin-dependent-like protein kinase PfCLK3 without targeting human proteins. Due to the resistant capabilities of the genus Plasmodium to existing antimalarials, compounds like TCMDC-135051 are urgently needed.