Coupling the cell-penetrating peptides transportan and transportan 10 to primaquine enhances its activity against liver-stage malaria parasites

Abstract

Novel primaquine–cell penetrating peptide conjugates were synthesised and tested in vitro against liver stage Plasmodium berghei parasites. Generally, the conjugates were more active than the parent peptides and, in some cases, than the parent drug. These are unprecedented findings that may open a new route towards antimalarial drug rescuing.