New Compounds Show Promise in Combating Malaria Transmission
Scientists have identified novel compounds that could eradicate malaria parasites within mosquitoes, a breakthrough that might revolutionize strategies to combat this deadly disease. Integrating these drugs into bed nets could offer a crucial defense against insecticide-resistant mosquitoes.
Targeting the Parasite Within
Researchers, headed by Dr. Dyann Wirth and Dr. Flaminia Catteruccia at the Harvard School of Public Health, investigated antimalarial drugs to find agents able to work inside mosquitoes. Their study results appeared in the journal Nature on May 21, 2025.
The team applied 81 antimalarial drugs directly to live mosquitoes and let them feed on parasite-infected blood. Twenty-two drugs reduced the mosquitoes’ infection rates, and two from the endochin-like quinolones (ELQs) class proved particularly effective. These drugs thwart the malaria parasites by hampering mitochondrial energy production.
The research team synthesized several ELQs, testing them to discover those that were most effective through contact with the legs. Two compounds, ELQ-453 and ELQ-613, stopped infection in mosquitoes when administered this way.
“We desperately need innovation in malaria control. This study offers a new, effective way to stop the transmission of malaria parasites, which we hope will reduce the burden of this devastating disease in Africa and beyond.”
—Dr. Flaminia Catteruccia
In 2023, there were an estimated 249 million malaria cases worldwide, with 608,000 fatalities. (World Health Organization).
Bed Net Innovations
The researchers then introduced ELQ-453 and ELQ-613 into polyethylene films, like those in bed nets. Contact with these films prevented infection in mosquitoes for up to two days, and reduced infection up to four days after exposure. These films still worked a year later, and were also effective on insecticide-resistant mosquitoes.
In lab studies, the parasites did not develop resistance to both drugs, and those resistant to one experienced impaired development within mosquitoes. This could reduce transmission to humans.
These findings indicate that killing malaria parasites inside mosquitoes could be a promising approach to curb transmission.