New candidate drugs to treat malaria and babesiosis from natural compounds
Official title: Optimization of the Pyrroloiminoquinone Scaffold for Malaria and Babesiosis Treatment
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11450339 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new program tests natural compound relatives to find safe, effective medicines for malaria and babesiosis that could work even when current drugs fail.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | July 23, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $783,811 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AI192615-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11450339 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with malaria or babesiosis in regions where resistant parasites are common, or who might benefit from new treatment options in the future.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without malaria or babesiosis may not directly benefit from this specific drug discovery effort.
What this research studies
Researchers are screening pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloids and their close relatives to identify molecules that kill malaria parasites and Babesia parasites in the blood. The work uses lab models of parasite growth and drug-like variants to find candidates that work at very low concentrations and remain active against drug-resistant strains. If a promising compound is found, it could move toward development for people who have malaria or babesiosis, especially where treatment options are limited.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could yield new drugs to treat malaria and babesiosis, including drug-resistant cases.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary lab data show potent activity of PIQ compounds against malaria and Babesia parasites in lab models, suggesting potential for real-world impact.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vanderwal, Christopher D — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Vanderwal, Christopher D
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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.