Facilitated Delivery of Chemotherapeutic Agents

The World Health Organization estimates that malaria infects over 300 million people, causesserious disease in over 150 million individuals, and claims 1 to 2 million lives a year. It is the mostdestructive single infectious agent of mankind in the Third World. Furthermore, it is responsible for morehuman energy loss, debilitation, loss of work capacity, and economic damage than any other humanailment facing the world today. The specific aim of this proposal is the test novel carrier molecules fordelivery of anti-malarial and anti-parasitic agents. Based on preliminary information, we believe thatmolecules will be readily taken up by Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (as well as otherparasitic microorganisms) and result in the suppression of parasite growth. It is our clear intention totest, develop, and patent the use of these carrier molecules as novel vehicles for drug delivery.