A compound represents a new medication for treating fungal infections

Researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center discovered a new compound that could mean a new antifungal for treating two fungal infections which are resistant to drugs, cryptococcosis and histoplasmosis. “This is an unrecognized public health threat that`s needed better treatment options for some time”, said Chad Rappleye, PhD, a microbiologist in the Center for Microbial Interface Biology at Ohio State`s Wexned Medical Center and in the Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity at Ohio State`s College of Medicine. “Histoplasma is particularly good at avoiding detection at the body`s immune system and surviving the immune response”, said Jessica Edwards, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at Ohio State University. Histoplasmosis is hard to diagnose because its symptoms are commonly confused with flu or cold symptoms. This study is published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Rappleye worked in collaboration with Werner Tjarks, PhD, a medicinal chemist at Ohio State and the Ohio State`s technology Commercialization Office (TCO). “There are people here in the U.S. and around the world suffering from varying degrees of histoplasmosis that need a safer and better treatment option. Our pilot study outcomes and methods are very encouraging, and I`m hopeful that with additional funding from the National Institutes of Health, we`ll be able to keep moving at this accelerated pace”, said Rappleye.