Therapeutics for Livestock

About

Anti-Nematode Therapeutics for Livestock Health Parasitic nematodes exert a significant global economic impact on livestock farming. The control of these parasites is currently reliant on a small group of anti-hemintics, however resistance is becoming increasingly commonplace thereby limiting current and future control options. Glasgow researchers are taking a multidisciplinary approach (nematode genetics, biochemistry, structural biology, molecular modelling and chemistry) to identifying novel drug targets in nematodes with a goal to develop new classes of inhibitors that will effectively control the current resistant nematode strains. The research has focused on moulting enzymes that play critical developmental roles in all nematodes. Three classes of compounds have been identified that have potent inhibitory effects against the recombinant enzymes. In-vitro these compounds have been shown to modulate the development of the nematodes.  Potentially significant is a subset of the active compounds being investigated which include clinically validated anti-fibrotic and anti metastatic drugs that may be re-purposed as anthelmintics.   Key Benefits New therapeutics will develop new classes of inhibitors to effectively control the current resistant nematode strains.   Applications The Anti-Nematode Therapeutics has the potential to be used to treat parasitic nematodes which can cause major problems for livestock farming.