Analogues of the anti-malaria drug mefloquine have broad spectrum antifungal activity and are efficacious in a model of disseminatedCandida aurisinfection

Abstract

AbstractOnly three classes of antifungal drugs are currently in clinical use. Here, we report that derivatives of the malarial drug mefloquine have broad spectrum antifungal activity including difficult to treat molds and endemic fungi. Pharmacokinetic and efficacy studies of NSC-4377 indicate it penetrates the central nervous system and is active againstCandida aurisin vivo. These data strongly support the further development of mefloquine analogs as a potentially new class of antifungal molecules.