Roadmap for development of therapeutics for helminths

What are we trying to achieve and why? What is the problem we are trying to solve?

• Any potential new development of an API (synthetic drug or phytochemical) with anthelmintic activity needs to be prepared as a pharmacotechnical formulation compatible for use in the target animal species. The following research questions should be addressed:
• What is the best formulation (concentration, solution/ suspension, pH, stability, etc.) for each novel identified anthelmintic molecule?
• What is the best route of administration to achieve the best pharmacological (systemic exposure) and clinical (efficacy) response in each target animal species?

What are the scientific and technological challenges (knowledge gaps needing to be addressed)?

• Improved absorption of existing/novel drugs included in pour on formulation intended for a systemic anthelmintic effect.
• Good acceptability of oral formulations in ruminants.
• Development of a device for parenteral (subcutaneous, intramuscular) administration with automated delivery, etc.

What approaches could/should be taken to address the research question?

To undertake plasma PK, tissue residue depletion and clinical efficacy studies for the new formulations containing novel active ingredients. Target species toxicity studies should be also performed.

What else needs to be done before we can solve this need?

• Development of new drug formulations.
• Development of new vehicles and/or excipients.
• Development of new technologies for anthelmintic administration in farm animals

Existing knowledge including successes and failures

• New formulations are available or under current experimentation (i.e. nanoencapsulated drugs, water soluble formulations of benzimidazole anthelmintics, etc.). PK studies involving new available formulationsare undergoing.
• Efficacy studies in different animals models involving new formulations are available. All this knowledge may be relevant to be applied in the pharmacotechnical development of an improved formulation to deliver a “novel API” with anthelmintic activity.