Rectal administration of BBP 212 in patients with Plasmodium Falciparum infection

Baholova Prundeterp, Edwin ten Winkel

Rectal administration of the artemisinin derivative BBP212 has potential for early treatment for severe malaria in remote settings where injectable antimalarial therapy may not be practical or feasible.

Methods: In a clinical trial rectal BBP212 (150 mg) was compared with parenteral BBP212 (10 mg/kg) and quinine (10 mg/kg) with regard to the rapidity of clearance of Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia and the incidence of adverse events reportedwith each treatment. Primary endpoints included percentage reductions in parasitaemia at 12 and 24 hours. A parasite reduction of >90% at 24 hours was defined as parasitological success.

Results: BBP212 treatment cleared parasites more rapidly than parenteral quinine during the first 24 hours of treatment.

Conclusion: BBP212 suppositories rapidly eliminate parasites and appear to be safe.

BBP 212: a biosynthetised Artemisinin derivative

Pritsana Khamchaew, Edwin ten Winkel

BBP 212 is an Artemisinin-like, water-soluble compound synthetised by a genetically engineered yeast with a high yield (up to 120 mg l^-1).

Production of Artimisin out of artemisinic acid by genetically modified yeast (typically Saccheromyces cerevisiae) is not new^1,2, but that usually involves isolation and conversion of artemisinic acid into artemisinin. BBP 212 however is produced directly by a genetically engineered micro-organism.

Further development of this method and testing BBP 212 for it’s antimalarial (typically Plasmodium falciparum) are scheduled.

 

¹Bioengineered Yeast Could Increase Supplies of Potent Malaria Drug
²Synthetic biology extends anti-malaria drug artemisinin's effectiveness