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Nobel Prize recognizes advancements in parasitic disease treatment
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The 2015 Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has awarded this year’s prize for physiology or medicine to three researchers for their contributions in developing novel therapies against malaria and roundworm parasite infection, according to a press release.
Youyou Tu, from the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, was awarded one half of the prize for the discovery of artemisinin, while the other was jointly awarded to William C. Campbell, PhD, emeritus research fellow at Drew University, New Jersey, and Satoshi Ōmura, PhD, emeritus professor at Kitasato University, Japan, for the discovery of avermectin.
Youyou Tu
“Diseases caused by parasites have plagued humankind for millennia and constitute a major global health problem,” the assembly wrote in the press release. “In particular, parasitic diseases affect the world’s poorest populations and represent a huge barrier to improving human health and well-being. This year’s Nobel Laureates have developed therapies that have revolutionized the treatment of some of the most devastating parasitic diseases.”
Tu discovered the active ingredient protective against the malaria parasite by extracting the active ingredient of a traditional herbal medicine. This component, later called artemisinin, targets the parasites during an early stage of their development. It is highly effective in both animals and humans, and is estimated to reduce malaria mortality by more than 20% overall and by more than 30% in children, according to the release.
Ōmura’s research involved the isolation and culture of several new Streptomyces strains, which were known to have antibacterial qualities. These then were acquired by Campbell, who found that one of the cultures was efficacious against parasite infections in animals. This led to the discovery of avermectin and its derivative, Mectizan (ivermectin, Merck), which has contributed to worldwide efforts against onchocerciasis, or river blindness, and lymphatic filariasis.
“The discoveries of avermectin and artemisinin have revolutionized therapy for patients suffering from devastating parasitic diseases,” the assembly wrote. “Campbell, Ōmura and Tu have transformed the treatment of parasitic diseases. The global impact of their discoveries and the resulting benefit to mankind are immeasurable.”
“This year’s Prize recognizes scientists who isolated compounds from bacteria and plants and developed them into drugs that have saved countless lives from malaria and prevented millions of cases of blindness and disfiguring swelling from parasitic worms worldwide,” Christopher V. Plowe, MD, president of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and director of the Institute for Global Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said in a press release. “These three scientists have had a massive positive impact on global health. This was a great choice by the Nobel Committee.”