Location: Animal Disease Research
Project Number: 2090-32000-040-037-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Mar 1, 2023
End Date: Feb 28, 2025
Objective:
Chemotherapeutic approaches are essential for controlling bovine babesiosis, a costlyt tick-borne disease that is currently a an important threat for cattle in the vicinity of the US-Mexico border. Current options for drugs are limited, and novel chemotherapeutic agents are needed. A previous study demonstrated that the synthetic drug ELQ-316 was highly effective in controlling the growth of Babesia in in vitro culture. We plan to assess the efficacy of ELQ-316 to eliminate Babesia bovis and disrupt transmission of the parasite in an infected bovine model. The cooperator will produce enough ELQ-316 prodrug for carrying out the in vivo studies, as described below.
Approach:
The Cooperator will be responsible for the synthesis of the required amount of ELQ-316 for conducting drug efficacy studies in groups of 3-4 month Holstein calves, to be conducted at the Animal Disease Research Unit of ARS. The calculated amount of drug for developing these studies is ~500-900 grams.
