Improving emodepside's effectiveness against adult filarial worms
Official title: Heteromers and L-type calcium channels: Increasing the potency of emodepside in filarial nematode model, Brugia malayi
Funded at Creighton University · NIH-11232368 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are working to boost how well the drug emodepside kills adult filarial worms that cause lymphatic filariasis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Creighton University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project start | November 15, 2024 |
| Project end | October 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $185,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI180688-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11232368 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with lymphatic filariasis caused by Brugia or Wuchereria species would be the eventual candidates for clinical trials and the primary beneficiaries of improved emodepside treatments.
✕Less likely to help
People with non-filarial parasitic infections or those seeking immediate treatment now will not directly benefit from this preclinical lab study.
What this research studies
This project studies how emodepside interacts with ion channels in filarial worms to make the drug more potent across species and life stages. Using lab models including the human parasite Brugia malayi and genetic worms (C. elegans erg-28 mutants), scientists will map how SLO-1 and related channels respond to the drug. They will test whether partnering with L-type calcium channels or changes in channel composition increase drug action in lab assays and infected-worm models. The aim is to explain why emodepside works inconsistently and identify ways to make single-dose adult-killing treatments more reliable.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to stronger single-dose treatments that kill adult filarial worms, reducing long-term disability and improving mass drug administration programs.
How similar studies have gone: Emodepside has shown adult-killing activity in animal and laboratory studies and is used as an antiparasitic in animals, but its potency varies by species and more work is needed before reliable human use.
Where this research is happening
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Creighton University
Omaha, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kashyap, Sudhanva Srinivas — Creighton University
- Study coordinator: Kashyap, Sudhanva Srinivas
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.