Discovering novel antifilarial drug candidates
A collaborative research team that discovered the anti-Wolbachia (A∙WOL) drug, led by University of Liverpool medicinal chemist Professor Paul O’Neill, was awarded the 2024 Royal Society of Chemistry’s Horizon Prize, which celebrates discoveries and innovations that push the boundaries of science.
The A∙WOL antifilarial drug discovery team is a collaboration between researchers from the University of Liverpool, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Imperial College London, University of Bonn and industrial partners from Astra Zeneca and Eisai Ltd.
The team received the prize for the discovery of fast-acting, highly specific anti-Wolbachia candidates for the oral treatment of human filariasis.
Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) and onchocerciasis (river blindness) cause severe disability and affect more than 117 million people globally, ranking them as one of the leading causes of global morbidity. These two neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are caused by long-lived (10–14 years) parasitic nematodes (roundworms).
The filarial worms rely on a special type of bacteria, Wolbachia. The Liverpool team was the first to show that targeting Wolbachia with the antibiotic doxycycline leads to the permanent sterilisation of adult female parasites and the gradual death of the adult worm.
The team’s collaborative drug discovery research has led to the first synthetic drug candidate, AZ1066.
This drug aims to offer a shorter treatment compared to current options and entered clinical trials in 2022. They have also identified several promising starting points for new medications and is working with Astra Zeneca to understand how these new chemical classes can eliminate Wolbachia within the worms.
Watch our video to find out more about the A-WOL drug discovery team
Professor Paul O’Neill said: “We are delighted to receive this award for our collaborative research, which has allowed us to discover a first-in-class synthetic Anti-Wolbachia (A.WOL) drug candidate against filarial diseases and a portfolio of distinctive fast-acting lead molecules for further chemical optimisation.”
The Royal Society of Chemistry’s prizes have recognised excellence in the chemical sciences for more than 150 years.
Therapeutics Innovation Frontier
Professor O’Neill is an academic lead for the University of Liverpool’s Therapeutics Innovation Frontier, which has been established to make critical scientific discoveries across the drug development pathway to transform health and medicine globally.
By harnessing world-leading innovation at every stage of the drug development pipeline and developing strategic partnerships that have the potential to deliver transformative impact, the Therapeutics innovation frontier can revolutionise drug discovery.