Irresistible blood-stage antimalarials for travelers, military personnel, and at-risk populations
Official title: Development of irresistible blood stage antimalarials
Funded at University of Illinois at Chicago · NIH-11448319 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A funded NIH grant is developing new, powerful malaria medicines that can kill all blood-stage parasites and help people at risk from traveler, military, or local transmission in the U.S. and beyond.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 4, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $782,108 |
| NIH project number | 2R01AI157445-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11448319 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals at risk for malaria exposure, travelers, and military personnel who could benefit from new antimalarial therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with malaria caused by non-target parasites or who cannot tolerate the drug candidates may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to advance two promising antimalarial compounds and understand how they work and how resistance might develop. It builds on prior work to create a fast-acting drug, 1i, with good oral bioavailability and stability in animals, showing proof-of-concept in infected mice. The renewal seeks to select a preclinical lead with a novel mechanism that specifically targets the malaria parasite.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to a new, effective treatment that reduces malaria illness and protects people who might be exposed to the disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work identified a fast-acting, irresistible antimalarial with encouraging in vivo results and potential molecular targets; renewal aims to build on that success.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Carlier, Paul R — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Carlier, Paul R
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.