Indian Institute of Science (IISc), department of biochemistry group led by Dr. Utpal Tatu has found a new drug target, which is known to interfere with the malarial parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. The drug target, benzoquinone ansamycin is known to interfere with heat shock protein. The effect of the drug is specific to the malarial parasite and it does not have such an adverse effect on humans. There is a lot more research to go in, however Dr. Tatu's team is now open for a dialogue with promising pharmaceutical companies that can spot the potential for a novel drug to treat malaria.

The drug target was researched under a project funded by the department of biotechnology, government of India and Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Scientific Research. The team of research scientists led by Dr. Utpal Tatu have been studying a group of proteins called 'heat shock proteins' in the parasite. Heat shock proteins are produced in all living beings and are known to protect cells from environmental abuse.

The malarial parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is transmitted from the host-body of the mosquito that is usually at 22 deg.C to 25 deg.C to the human body that is normally at 37deg.C. "We use a bottom-up approach in our research and were not looking for a drug or a drug target against malaria. Our primary motivation has been to understand functions of heat shock proteins in the biology of the parasite. We are excited about the implications of findings about the biology of the parasite. The drug target was an offshoot of our bigger objective of understanding Hsp90 function, Dr. Utpal Tatu, scientist, department of biochemistry, IISc told Pharmabiz.com.

"We have been studying heat shock proteins in malaria for almost six years now, said Dr. Tatu and added that the next step after these findings is to look out for more funding.

The IISc scientists have all along been working towards a potential target for malaria. When asked how different is the present discovery was from the protein enzyme called 'Alad' by Dr. G Padmanabhan, former director and scientist emeritus professor at IISc or the synthesis of fatty acids in malaria parasite involving an enzyme named 'FabI' which is drug target, found by Dr. Avedesha Surolia, scientist, Molecular Biophysics Centre, IISc, Dr. Tatu said, "These are distinct pathways in the parasite and all are equally important."

The current drug option available is chloroquinine and conventional chloroquine has many limitations including development of resistance by the parasite. It also works in a different manner, making haem (an element in blood) toxic for the parasite. Incidentally the drug is also under phase II clinical trials in the US for its anti-cancer properties.

On the average, it takes about 10 years for any new drug to reach the market and that too only a limited number of discoveries reach that stage, he informed.