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 <i>in vitro</i> against liver stage <i>Plasmodium berghei</i> 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.