Novel Composition Designed to Treat Nematode Infections

Value proposition: Small molecule treatments designed to target the adult worm to treat nematode infections in animals.

Technology Description

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed novel small molecule treatments for nematode infections in animals. These infections can cause a variety of diseases such as filariasis, ascariasis, and trichinosis and can create significant health issues in animals. Current treatments of infected animals are often expensive and unrewarding. The medications used to treat the infection tend to kill the larvae of the worms, but do not treat the infection of the adult worms.

These deworming agents can be used to treat the adult worm by decreasing worm motility and viability in several species of parasitic worms and are effective both in vitro and in vivo in treating diseases caused by both intestinal and filarial worms; thus helping to overcome drug resistance in animal populations.

Stage of Research

Compounds have been developed and tested in vivo and in vitro.

Applications

• Treatment of nematode infections

Key Advantages

• Treats the adult worm directly instead of only killing the larvae
• Decreases motility and viability of the worm

Patents

Patent application filed

Related Web Links – James Janetka Profile; Mitreva Lab