Post by A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs - A*STAR IDL

A team led by researchers at A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR IDL) has uncovered the dual action of the anti-parasitic drug Daraprim against tuberculosis (TB).   Lead author Darryl Han, a research officer at A*STAR IDL, demonstrated that Daraprim (chemical name pyrimethamine) could be repurposed to reduce the damage to blood vessels caused by TB infection and directly slow the growth of TB bacteria. This marks Darryl’s first publication as a first author – congratulations, Darryl!   “Vascular damage driven by the immune response to respiratory and viral infections can lead to dangerous complications such as blood clots or hemorrhage,” explained senior author Dr Stefan Oehlers, a Principal Investigator at A*STAR IDL. “The exciting discovery here is that Daraprim, an affordable and readily available drug, not only protects against the harmful effects of infection, but the game-changer is the finding that the drug also directly targets TB bacteria. This dual effect may even help explain why the drug benefits HIV patients.”   This study was supported by the National Medical Research Council and involved multiple research groups across A*STAR IDL, in collaboration with The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota and Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota.   Check out the exciting and impactful findings here! https://lnkd.in/g6ZDhuui #InfectiousDiseases #Tuberculosis #EnhancingLives #PublicHealth