New treatments to eliminate river blindness
Official title: Innovative therapeutic strategies to support elimination of river blindness
Funded at Washington University · NIH-10927441 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on new ways to treat river blindness, a disease caused by a parasite, to help people get better and reduce how many people are affected by it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 11, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $805,271 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI174587-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10927441 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals aged 5 years and older living in endemic areas affected by river blindness.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not reside in endemic regions or are younger than 5 years old may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing innovative therapeutic strategies to eliminate river blindness, a neglected tropical disease caused by the parasite Onchocerca volvulus. The approach includes identifying new drugs and treatment regimens that can effectively target the parasite at various stages of its life cycle. Current treatments like ivermectin and moxidectin have shown limited success, so this research aims to enhance the effectiveness of existing therapies and introduce new options. Patients may benefit from improved treatment outcomes and a potential reduction in the prevalence of this debilitating disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for river blindness, improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in developing new treatments for river blindness, but this approach aims to build on those findings with novel strategies.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mitreva, Makedonka — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Mitreva, Makedonka
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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.