The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative and the Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai Co., Ltd. have signed
an agreement to proceed with the clinical development of Eisai's
anti-fungal drug fosravuconazole for the potential new treatment of
eumycetoma, a fungal form of mycetoma, one of the world's most neglected
diseases.
Most probably transmitted through pricks to the skin by walking
barefoot, eumycetoma is a chronic condition that affects people in
tropical and subtropical regions, in particular across Africa, with the
highest burden found in Sudan. The fungus penetrates the skin and causes
massive tumour-like lesions that lead to serious disability, grave
socioeconomic consequences, and stigma.
There is only one current treatment option, which is expensive,
toxic, and only cures about 30% of patients even after twelve months of
treatment. Those who aren't cured are at risk of repeated amputations as
the infection spreads throughout the body.
Fosravuconazole, an azole-class antifungal drug discovered by Eisai, has shown in vitro and in vivo to have strong antifungal activities against eumycetoma.* Under the terms of the agreement, DNDi
and partners will be conducting the clinical development to assess
safety and efficacy of fosravuconazole in patients with the disease,
while Eisai provides DNDi with its scientific expertise as well as a supply of the drug for the clinical studies. Eisai also has the option to become DNDi's
industrial partner to manufacture, register, and make available
fosravuconazole at an affordable price to the public sector in endemic
areas.
