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Hanscheid T, Del Portal Luyten CR, Hermans SM, Grobusch MP. Repurposing of anti-malarial drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis: realistic strategy or fanciful dead end? Malar J 2024; 23:132. [PMID: 38702649 PMCID: PMC11067164 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-024-04967-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drug repurposing offers a strategic alternative to the development of novel compounds, leveraging the known safety and pharmacokinetic profiles of medications, such as linezolid and levofloxacin for tuberculosis (TB). Anti-malarial drugs, including quinolones and artemisinins, are already applied to other diseases and infections and could be promising for TB treatment. METHODS This review included studies on the activity of anti-malarial drugs, specifically quinolones and artemisinins, against Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC), summarizing results from in vitro, in vivo (animal models) studies, and clinical trials. Studies on drugs not primarily developed for TB (doxycycline, sulfonamides) and any novel developed compounds were excluded. Analysis focused on in vitro activity (minimal inhibitory concentrations), synergistic effects, pre-clinical activity, and clinical trials. RESULTS Nineteen studies, including one ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial, were analysed: primarily investigating quinolones like mefloquine and chloroquine, and, to a lesser extent, artemisinins. In vitro findings revealed high MIC values for anti-malarials versus standard TB drugs, suggesting a limited activity. Synergistic effects with anti-TB drugs were modest, with some synergy observed in combinations with isoniazid or pyrazinamide. In vivo animal studies showed limited activity of anti-malarials against MTC, except for one study of the combination of chloroquine with isoniazid. CONCLUSIONS The repurposing of anti-malarials for TB treatment is limited by high MIC values, poor synergy, and minimal in vivo effects. Concerns about potential toxicity at effective dosages and the risk of antimicrobial resistance, especially where TB and malaria overlap, further question their repurposing. These findings suggest that focusing on novel compounds might be both more beneficial and rewarding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Hanscheid
- Instituto de Microbiologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Claire Ruiz Del Portal Luyten
- Center for Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sabine M Hermans
- Center for Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Global Health, Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Martin P Grobusch
- Center for Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
- Centre de Recherches Médicales en Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné, Gabon.
- Masanga Medical Research Unit (MMRU), Masanga, Sierra Leone.
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
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McDonald EG, Afshar A, Assiri B, Boyles T, Hsu JM, Khuong N, Prosty C, So M, Sohani ZN, Butler-Laporte G, Lee TC. Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in people living with HIV: a review. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0010122. [PMID: 38235979 PMCID: PMC10938896 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00101-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Pneumocystis jirovecii is a ubiquitous opportunistic fungus that can cause life-threatening pneumonia. People with HIV (PWH) who have low CD4 counts are one of the populations at the greatest risk of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP). While guidelines have approached the diagnosis, prophylaxis, and management of PCP, the numerous studies of PCP in PWH are dominated by the 1980s and 1990s. As such, most studies have included younger male populations, despite PCP affecting both sexes and a broad age range. Many studies have been small and observational in nature, with an overall lack of randomized controlled trials. In many jurisdictions, and especially in low- and middle-income countries, the diagnosis can be challenging due to lack of access to advanced and/or invasive diagnostics. Worldwide, most patients will be treated with 21 days of high-dose trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole, although both the dose and the duration are primarily based on historical practice. Whether treatment with a lower dose is as effective and less toxic is gaining interest based on observational studies. Similarly, a 21-day tapering regimen of prednisone is used for patients with more severe disease, yet other doses, other steroids, or shorter durations of treatment with corticosteroids have not been evaluated. Now with the widespread availability of antiretroviral therapy, improved and less invasive PCP diagnostic techniques, and interest in novel treatment strategies, this review consolidates the scientific body of literature on the diagnosis and management of PCP in PWH, as well as identifies areas in need of more study and thoughtfully designed clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G. McDonald
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Canadian Medication Appropriateness and Deprescribing Network, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Avideh Afshar
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bander Assiri
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Tom Boyles
- Right to Care, NPC, Centurion, South Africa
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jimmy M. Hsu
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ninh Khuong
- Canadian Medication Appropriateness and Deprescribing Network, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Connor Prosty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Miranda So
- Sinai Health System-University Health Network Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Zahra N. Sohani
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Guillaume Butler-Laporte
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Todd C. Lee
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Liu A, Sun R, Cao G, Liu X, Zhu H, Yang J. Prognostic factors and clinical efficacy of second-line treatments of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia for non-HIV patients after first-line treatment failure. BMC Infect Dis 2022; 22:546. [PMID: 35701759 PMCID: PMC9199170 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-022-07523-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is a life-threatening opportunistic infection. In non-HIV immunocompromised patients with PCP, a standard second-line treatment has not been established up to now. Methods Non-HIV immunocompromised patients with confirmed PCP between April 2013 and December 2020 were included. Their PCP treatment history was tracked. Factors related to first-line trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) and second-line treatment failure were identified. Different second-line treatment strategies were compared. Results Among the 220 patients, 127 (57.73%) did not respond to first-line TMP/SMX treatment. Risk factors related to treatment failure included symptom triad with breathlessness at rest, persistent fever and cough (85% in the treatment failure group versus 74% in the treatment success group, P = 0.034), treatment with invasive mechanical ventilation (67 vs. 19%, P < 0.001), coinfection with CMV (69 vs. 47%, P = 0.035), and bacteremia (59 vs. 10%, P < 0.001). A total of 49 patients received second-line treatment on the basis of TMP/SMX, and 28 (57.1%) of them responded to the treatment. No clinical parameter, including selection of different therapies, was found to be significantly associated with second-line treatment failure. Further, the prognosis of different second-line therapies showed no drug or drug combination strategy superior to others. The primaquine group had lower 90-day mortality rate (45.9%) but showed no statistically significant difference compared with the non-primaquine group (64.6%). The patients in the clindamycin plus primaquine group had the lowest in-hospital mortality rate (22.2%, P = 0.042) among different second-line therapies, although the in-hospital mortality of the primaquine group was not significantly different from that of the non-primaquine group. The differences in 28 day mortality and overall mortality rates were not statistically significant, too. Conclusion CMV infection and bacteremia were risk factors significantly associated with treatment failure of TMP/SMX. The response and survival rates of second-line treatment, including clindamycin, primaquine, and caspofungin, were poor, maybe clindamycin plus primaquine as second line treatment was better than other treatment strategies. These results suggest that clinicians should carefully evaluate whether the treatment of TMP/SMX has failed due to a coinfection rather than hastily changing to a second-line drug when the patient worsens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anlei Liu
- Emergency Department, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Ruixue Sun
- Psychological Department, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Guanghui Cao
- Emergency Department, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Xiaohang Liu
- Cardiology Department, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Huadong Zhu
- Emergency Department, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Emergency Department, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
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