Medicine & Health

Flubendazole in Onchocerciasis

Published January 16, 2019 Partnered Collections, Special Issues

Treating onchocerciasis remains a challenge as no drug effectively kills the adult worms. A new orally bioavailable formulation of flubendazole was developed and tested to find out whether it could be a safe and effective macrofilaricidal drug. The introduction to this collection explains the history and rationale for development. The subsequent 3 articles report on the efficacy, PK and safety as observed in animal models. The last article summarizes the toxicology and preclinical PK data generated with this new flubendazole formulation. It also explains that the decision to discontinue its development was taken because no safe and effective dose could be selected for use in clinical trials.

Image Credit: International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

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Introduction
Preclinical efficacy of flubendazole in antifilarial animal models
Preclinical toxicology and pharmacokinetics of a new oral flubendazole formulation

Introduction

Image credit
International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Flubendazole as a macrofilaricide: history and background
January 16, 2019 Timothy Geary, Charles Mackenzie, Steven Silber

Preclinical efficacy of flubendazole in antifilarial animal models

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10.1371/journal.pntd.0006787

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Efficacy of subcutaneous doses and a new oral amorphous solid dispersion formulation of flubendazole on male jirds (Meriones unguiculatus) infected with the filarial nematode Brugia pahangi
January 16, 2019 Chelsea Fischer, Iosune Ibiricu Urriza, Christina Bulman, KC Lim, Jiri Gut, Sophie Lachau-Durand, Marc Engelen, Ludo Quirynen, Fetene Tekle, Benny Baeten, Brenda Beerntsen, Sara Lustigman, Judy Sakanari
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0006356

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Short-course, oral flubendazole does not mediate significant efficacy against Onchocerca adult male worms or Brugia microfilariae in murine infection models
January 16, 2019 Hanna Sjoberg, Nicolas Pionnier, Ghaith Aljayyoussi, Haelly Metuge, Abdel Njouendou, Valerine Chunda, Fanny Fombad, Dizzel Tayong, Narcisse Gandjui, Desmond Akumtoh, Patrick Chounna, Bertrand Ndzeshang, Sophie Lachaud, Fetene Tekle, Ludo Quirynen, Marc Engelen, Benny Baeton, Andrew Steven, Steven Ward, Mark Taylor, Samuel Wanji, Joseph Turner
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10.1371/journal.pntd.0006320

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Macrofilaricidal efficacy of single and repeated oral and subcutaneous doses of flubendazole in Litomosoides sigmodontis infected jirds
January 16, 2019 Marc Hübner, Alexandra Ehrens, Marianne Koschel, Bettina Dubben, Franziska Lenz, Stefan Frohberger, Sabine Specht, Ludo Quirynen, Sophie Lachau-Durand, Fetene Tekle, Benny Baeten, Marc Engelen, Charles Mackenzie, Achim Hoerauf

Preclinical toxicology and pharmacokinetics of a new oral flubendazole formulation

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10.1371/journal.pntd.0007026

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Preclinical toxicity and pharmacokinetics of a new orally bioavailable flubendazole formulation and the impact for clinical trials and risk/benefit to patients
January 16, 2019 Lieve Lammens, Sophie Lachau-Durand, Bas-jan van der Leede, Jacky Van Gompel, Graham Bailey, Marc Engelen, Ann Lampo