In order to issue this report quickly, it is published

without detailed editorial revision by WHO/TDR.

FOR THE WEB ONLY

__________________________________

WHO/TDR SCIENTIFIC WORKING GROUP ON ‘RNA INTERFERENCE

AS A MEANS OF IDENTIFYING DRUG TARGETS
FOR FILARIASIS’ REPORT

CAROLYN A. BEHM, MARY M. BENDIG,

JAMES P. MCCARTER, ANN E. SLUDER

Executive Summary
River blindness (onchocerciasis) and lymphatic filariasis, caused by infections with filarial
nematodes, are important tropical diseases causing considerable morbidity, estimated at
951,000 DALYs for river blindness and 5.5 million DALYs for lymphatic filariasis.
Control and treatment of these infections is difficult: no vaccines are available, vector control
programs have ceased or are threatened by insecticide resistance, and the repertoire of effective
drugs is very limited. Onchocerciasis is currently treated with ivermectin; the drugs used for
lymphatic filariasis are albendazole, diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and ivermectin. None of these
is effective in killing the long-lived adult worms (macrofilariae) and the treatments are
therefore aimed at reducing transmission and pathology.
New drugs that affect new molecular targets are required to improve treatment and control by
killing macrofilariae, and to replace the currently-used drugs when resistance to them starts to
become evident.
Two recent scientific advances provide new opportunities for discovering and validating
antifilarial drug targets. These are (i) the accumulating gene sequence resources for filarial
nematodes, in particular the draft Brugia malayi genome sequence due for publication later in
2004, and (ii) the development of the gene silencing method, RNA interference (RNAi), as an
experimental tool for investigating gene function in model nematodes such as Caenorhabditis
elegans and in parasitic nematodes, including B. malayi.
A Scientific Working Group, chaired by Dr Carolyn Behm, was convened to evaluate
opportunities for establishing a systematic approach to identification and validation of
antifilarial drug targets and to assess how RNAi in C. elegans and filariae might contribute to
this process. The Working Group prepared a practical strategy for identifying and validating
new molecular targets, sets of criteria for prioritizing candidate drug targets, and a framework
for their exploitation for drug discovery.
The Recommendations of the Working Group are as follows:
(i) The B. malayi genome sequence should be exploited for identification of candidate drug
targets. We recommend that TDR support a Target Selection Team which will meet
from time to time to assess and prioritize candidate targets. The targets will be identified

1
 initially by a combination of bioinformatic analyses in B. malayi and, where available,
Onchocerca volvulus, and information from RNAi experiments in C. elegans and other
nematodes.
(ii) A center for target validation using RNAi analyses in B. malayi should be established.
We recommend that TDR provide funds to (a) develop the current RNAi technology for
B. malayi and (b) fund an established laboratory to validate high priority candidate
targets by RNAi experiments in B. malayi.
(iii) Completion of the O. volvulus genome sequence should be encouraged. We recommend
that TDR actively encourage efforts to support an O. volvulus genome sequencing
project.
The Working Group also considered mechanisms for enhancing the post target validation
phases of antifilarial drug discovery. Four major areas were identified as warranting attention:
(iv) Implementation of high-throughput screens (HTS) based on existing validated targets.
We recommend that TDR publish the target validation and selection criteria outlined in
this Report, or modifications thereof, and call for nominations of candidate targets,
preferably HTS-ready, from the scientific community. These could be evaluated by the
Target Selection Team and forwarded to collaborating HTS facilities.
(v) Evaluation of dormant anthelmintic candidates in industry chemical files. We support
TDR pursuing discussions with animal health and pharmaceutical companies possessing
files of compounds with anti-nematode activity that have not been developed, with the
aim of providing candidates for testing for potential antifilarial activity.
(vi) Selection of secondary assays and drug testing models. We encourage TDR to maintain
and improve the capacity to test compounds from HTS by critically evaluating the
preclinical screening models.
(vii) Advancement of nematode-specific resources for drug development. In order to improve
antifilarial drug discovery we encourage TDR to consider supporting research
specifically to investigate drug uptake and metabolism in filariae, and the development
of nematode cell lines.

2
I. Needs in anti-filarial drug discovery
River blindness and lymphatic filariasis, caused by filarial nematodes, are among the most
important tropical diseases. Nearly 140 million cases exist and over 1 billion people are at risk
for infection. River blindness is caused by the microscopic larvae (microfilariae) of the filarial
nematode worm Onchocerca volvulus, transmitted by blackflies. Adult worms can live for over
a decade in nodules under the skin and release millions of microfilariae. Circulating
microfilariae cause persistent, debilitating itching, severe dermatitis, and ocular lesions
resulting in blindness. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, 17.7 million
people are infected in 37 tropical countries of Africa and Latin America [1]. Of these, 270,000
individuals are blind and an additional 500,000 are visually impaired, making onchocerciasis
the second leading cause of infectious blindness worldwide. Morbidity is estimated at 951,000
disability adjusted life-years (DALYs). Mosquito-transmitted filarial worms, including
Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi, cause lymphatic filariasis by colonizing the lymphatic
system. Worms live up to 8 years and release millions of microfilariae into the blood.
Symptoms include blockage of lymph ducts by adult worms leading to dramatic swelling of
appendages (lymphedema, elephantiasis) or genitals (hydrocele) [1]. Disease causes disability,
loss of work and marriage opportunity, and social stigmatization. 120 million people are
infected in 80 countries, according to WHO estimates. 15 million people have clinically
significant lymphedema or elephantiasis and 25 million men have hydrocele. Lymphatic
filariasis is the world’s second leading cause of long-term disability, with morbidity estimated
at 5.5M DALYs.
For both diseases, coordinated global efforts at control are ongoing. Onchocerciasis is treated
with ivermectin, which can reverse skin itching and prevent further damage to the eyes. Annual
treatments can reduce circulating microfilariae, thereby disrupting disease transmission, but
these treatments do not kill adult worms [2]. Since 1987, the Mectizan Donation Program has
provided annual doses of ivermectin in Africa and Latin America [3]. From 1974 – 2002, the
Onchocerciasis Control Program also worked to control onchocerciasis in West Africa by aerial
spraying of insecticides to kill blackfly larvae. While this effort succeeded in opening millions
of hectares of arable river valley farmland to settlement and cultivation, closure of the program
places the entire burden of disease control on use of drugs. Drug treatments for lymphatic
filariasis also attempt to reduce the incidence of circulating microfilariae in the human
population to disrupt disease transmission. Drugs include annual doses of albendazole plus
diethylcarbamazine (DEC), albendazole plus ivermectin, or use of DEC fortified salt [2]. While
effective on larval stages, these treatments are fairly ineffective at killing adult worms and
provide only partial benefit to infected patients. Efforts to alleviate suffering and disability for
infected patients focus on hygiene aimed at decreasing secondary bacterial and fungal infection.
In 2000, control efforts were formalized as the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic
Filariasis, a coalition with the ambitious goal of eliminating the disease by 2020 through the
distribution of drugs [4]. Control efforts are scaling up with 54 million people in 32 countries
treated in 2002, an increase from just 3 million in 2000. Despite these admirable global efforts,
eradication of filarial diseases will be extremely challenging with current technology. No
vaccines are available, vector control programs have ended or are facing insect resistance, and
drugs are largely ineffective against the worm’s adult stage. Current drugs can effectively
eliminate the worm’s larval stages, but their broad use also increases the likelihood of
accelerated drug resistance. The requirement for ongoing annual dosing to prevent the build-up
of new larvae from the surviving adult worm is a significant operational challenge in endemic
regions subject to poverty and civil unrest.

3
Anti-nematode drug discovery, lacking a comprehensive molecular or mechanistic
understanding of nematode parasitism as a basis for rational drug development, has traditionally
relied either on direct screening of compounds against whole target organisms or on chemical
modifications of existing anthelmintics. These conventional approaches have resulted in
relatively few classes of agents acting on a limited number of known biological targets.
Organophosphates and carbamates target a single, biologically conserved enzyme,
acetylcholinesterase. Imidazole derivatives such as albendazole exert their antiparasitic effects
by binding tubulin. Levamisole and the avermectins agonize the nicotinic acetylcholine
receptor and glutamate-gated chloride channels, respectively [2].
These existing agents are effective against some significant nematode infections, but as noted
above face a number of limiting concerns. To build on the success of the current treatment
regimen and to ensure that the path towards reduction and elimination of these diseases
continues, new chemical classes of compounds with strong macrofilaricidal activity are
urgently needed. Such drugs could:
• accelerate programs to eradicate lymphatic filariasis
• make elimination of onchocerciasis possible
• increase patient benefit and compliance
• decrease the likelihood of drug resistance and program failure.

II. Strategies for new anti-filarial drug discovery

The pharmaceutical industry has not prioritized nematode diseases of humans, as these
infections predominantly afflict populations in poor and developing countries that currently
lack the economic resources to support a profitable drug market. However, parasitic nematode
infections are a major problem for livestock and companion animals worldwide, and anti-
parasitic agents constitute a significant portion of the animal health market. The major anti-
nematode drugs available for treatment of human disease were all first developed for the animal
health market. Testing new anti-parasitic agents that emerge from animal health drug discovery
efforts in assays predictive for efficacy against lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis will
continue to be one viable strategy for identifying new anti-filarial drug candidates.
Anti-nematode drug discovery in the modern animal health industry utilizes an integrated
combination of:
• direct in vitro screening of compounds on target parasites,
• compound screening on surrogate organism models predictive for efficacy against target
parasites (when target parasites are not available in sufficient numbers to support a
screening effort), and
• biochemical or cell-based screening against validated molecular targets important for
parasite viability.
For filarial parasites of humans, the utilization of direct in vitro screening is limited by
restricted availability of parasites and limitations in parasite culture technology. The historical
adoption of animal health drugs for treatment of nematode infections of humans essentially
represents exploitation of surrogate drug discovery models. High-throughput compound
screening against molecular targets, which has become the dominant paradigm in
pharmaceutical discovery, has not yet been widely pursued for nematode diseases of humans
[5].

4
Assay development for molecular target-based compound discovery and subsequent high-
throughput screening are major undertakings requiring considerable investments of time and
money. The identification of biologically validated targets amenable to miniaturized assays is
thus of critical importance. Molecular genetic methods for uncovering the biological functions
of individual genes and proteins in an organism, a prerequisite for full target validation, have
been essentially non-existent for filarial nematode species. However, two recent scientific
advances have opened up new opportunities for target validation for anti-filarial drug discovery:
• The large-scale production of gene sequence information for filarial nematodes [6],
including the pending release of a draft of the Brugia malayi genome sequence, allows
the identification of genes shared with other nematodes. Such comparative sequence
analyses can point to conserved biological functions, establishing a basis for
exploitation of the experimentally tractable and well-characterized free-living nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans as a surrogate for anthelmintic target validation with a stronger
focus on filarial targets than has previously been possible.
• The development of RNA interference (RNAi) as a tool for probing the biological
functions of genes known only by DNA sequence has accelerated the elucidation of
genetic functions in C. elegans [e.g. 7, 8-10]. Recent successes in utilizing RNAi to
probe gene functions in parasitic nematodes [11, 12], including Brugia malayi, offer the
promise of direct elucidation of gene function for at least some aspects of filarial
nematode biology.

III. WHO Scientific Working Group on RNAi as a means of identifying

drug targets for filariasis (15-17 October 2003, Glion sur Montreux,
Switzerland)
This Scientific Working Group was convened to evaluate current opportunities for
implementing a systematic approach to molecular drug target identification and validation for
anti-filarial drug discovery, and to assess the contribution that RNAi analyses in C. elegans and
other nematodes might make to this process. The meeting was held on 15-17 Oct. 2003. The
primary goal of the discussions was to formulate a set of practical recommendations to TDR on
how it could stimulate drug target identification and validation for the filarial diseases. In
addition, the group sought to outline some more general guidance regarding strategies for
forwarding validated targets through subsequent stages of the drug discovery process.

IV. List of participants

Chair:
Dr Carolyn A. Behm
School of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science
Australian National University
Canberra, Australia

5
Members:
Dr Aziz Aboobaker
Department of Integrative Biology, University of California
Berkeley, CA

Dr Daniel A. Boakye
Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR)
University of Ghana
Accra, Ghana

Dr Doris Cully
Department of Human and Animal Infectious Disease Research
Merck Research Laboratories,
Rahway, NJ

Dr Warwick N. Grant
Molecular Parasitology, AgResearch Ltd, Wallaceville Animal Research Centre
Upper Hutt, New Zealand

Dr Jesus Gutierrez
Elanco Animal Health
Greenfield, IN

Dr Sara Lustigman
Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute
New York Blood Center
New York, NY

Dr Jonathan Margolis
Chemical Genetics, Exelixis, Inc.
South San Francisco, CA

Dr James McCarter
Divergence Inc. and Washington University School of Medicine
St. Louis, MO

Dr Ann Sluder
Cambria Biosciences
Woburn, MA

Dr Laurent D. E. Toé
Molecular Biology Laboratory, Multi Disease Surveillance Centre
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Dr Debra Woods
Veterinary Medicine Discovery Biology, Pfizer Animal Health
Sandwich, Kent, UK

6
Secretariat:
Dr Mary Bendig
Acting Manager, Drug Discovery Research, WHO/TDR

Dr Alan T. Hudson
Consultant to WHO/TDR

Dr Janis Lazdins
Disease Coordinator, WHO/TDR

V. Framework for target identification, validation, and exploitation for

drug discovery
The Working Group discussed at length the utility of the C. elegans resource and RNAi of C.
elegans, Brugia and Onchocerca for antifilarial drug discovery, strategies for target
identification and validation, issues and strategies in advancing validated targets through high-
throughput screening to identification of suitable antifilarial compounds. The group considered
practical and collaborative strategies for future research to discover and validate new antifilarial
targets. The outcomes of the discussions include a strategy for drug target identification and
validation, plus sets of criteria to be further developed and then applied in the recommended
target prioritization processes. These major outcomes are summarized in the set of Tables 1
and 2, and Figures 1 and 2, described below.
(1) Strengths and Weaknesses of RNAi-based Target Discovery
RNAi is a process of post-transcriptional silencing of gene expression that occurs in the cells of
most, if not all, eukaryotes. The phenomenon was observed in plants and the fungus
Neurospora some years before it was first described in an animal system, C. elegans, in 1998
[13]. Since then, RNAi has been observed in a variety of animal taxa, including mammals, and
is transforming the field of functional genomics in a number of animal, plant, protist and fungal
experimental systems. RNAi was voted ‘Breakthrough of the Year’ by Science magazine in
2002 [14] and its exploitation in drug target validation in mammalian and other biological
systems, including parasitic nematodes, has great potential to bring about rapid advances in
drug discovery.
The process of silencing gene expression by RNAi in cells can be described briefly as follows.
Intracellular double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) – of exogenous or endogenous origin – is bound
by the Dicer protein complex. The dsRNA is cleaved by RNAse activity of the Dicer complex
to yield small interfering dsRNA products (siRNAs, approx. 21 nucleotides in length) which
bind to another protein complex, the RISC, in which the two strands of the siRNA are unwound
to expose the antisense strand which hybridizes to a complementary mRNA molecule. The
mRNA is then cleaved at a site corresponding to the centre of the siRNA sequence and the
resulting mRNA fragments are degraded. The RNAi effect is very specific: only transcripts
complementary to the siRNA are cleaved and degraded, and thus the knockdown of mRNA
expression is gene-specific. The gene silencing effect of dsRNA within a cell is quite long-
lasting and under appropriate experimental conditions can lead to a decline in abundance of the
targetted transcript of 80-90% or more, with consequent decline in levels of the corresponding
protein.

7
The Working Group recognized that a target discovery and validation program based on RNAi
and bioinformatic filters has considerable potential to make rapid progress in antifilarial drug
discovery. The advantages of using RNAi in such a program for filarial worms include the
following:
(i) RNAi provides, for the first time, a means of determining gene function in filarial worms.
By establishing the importance of a gene to the life cycle, valuable resources in target
development can be focused on those gene products known to be crucial for parasite
survival.
(ii) RNAi targets mRNA complementary to the sequence of the applied dsRNA. Thus only
the sequence of the target mRNA needs to be known, libraries of chemicals are not
required in the target discovery and validation stages, and the genome sequences of
Brugia and other nematodes can be utilized.
(iii) RNAi is specific to the targeted mRNA and the effects of silencing expression of the
targeted gene are thus specific to that target.
(iv) Target discovery and validation is carried out in vivo using intact nematodes.
(v) RNAi is effective to some extent in both Brugia and Onchocerca and allows researchers
to circumvent in part the challenge presented by the limited technology (e.g. genetic)
currently available for investigating biological function in filariae.
The Working Group also recognized that an RNAi-based program presents some limitations,
which are outlined below. We would expect that additional targets will emerge from other
discoveries outside the scope of that proposed here, and these should be given consideration by
WHO/TDR on a case-by-case basis. New methods that arise to further open up target
opportunities should be incorporated into a flexible strategy. Examples of targets that may not
be revealed by an RNAi-based program include the following:
(i) Targets that exhibit ‘gain of function’ phenotypes in the presence of agonists such as
channel openers. Two major classes of current anthelmintics are agonists and their
targets would probably not have been discovered by an RNAi screen.
(ii) Targets expressed in tissues with less sensitivity to exogenously applied dsRNA. In C.
elegans, nervous system mRNAs are not susceptible to RNAi by soaking. The sensitivity
of filarial nervous system transcripts is not known.
(iii) Targets that have no or subtle effects in vitro but which could have major effects if
disrupted in vivo, such as genes critical for immune evasion, or behavior in the host.
(iv) Targets eliminated in the selection process because of high conservation to human gene
products but for which differential exposure, uptake, binding, or sensitivity could allow
selective targeting.
(v) Targets that cannot readily be assessed by RNAi in Brugia or Onchocerca because of the
limitations of the current RNAi and in vitro culture technology for filariae: for example
Brugia is currently accessible to RNAi only at the adult stage.
The Working Group concluded that the use of RNAi and the bioinformatic/curation filters
recommended (Figure 1) is very likely to generate an abundance of viable and validated targets
on which drug discovery and development work can begin.

8
(2) Target Product Profile
The ideal candidate compounds for human antifilarials should possess the properties
summarized in Table 1.
(3) Target Selection and Validation Criteria
The most important criteria for selecting appropriate drug targets for further investigation are
summarized in Table 2. Critical to the prioritization and decision path for validation of
candidate targets is assessment of ‘druggability’ and ‘assayability’ of the candidate target
molecules. The major criteria recognized as important in these assessments are included in
Table 2.
(4) Strategy for Identification and Validation of Antifilarial Drug Targets
A strategy for identification and validation of antifilarial drug targets, employing the criteria
outlined in Tables 1 and 2, was designed by the Working Group. A flow chart outlining the
recommended strategy is presented in Figure 1. The growing resource provided by the
imminent Brugia genome sequence and the availability of RNAi techniques for adult B. malayi
make it the filarial species of choice for the initial phases of the strategy. The Working Group
expects that relevant Onchocerca information will be utilized wherever available or obtainable,
and considers it highly desirable that any target be present and shown to be essential in
Onchocerca as well as Brugia and, where possible, Wuchereria, before it can enter the later
stages of the target decision pathway.
(5) Downstream Drug Discovery Filters
Consideration was also given by the Working Group to appropriate downstream drug discovery
processes required to follow the successful validation of targets, including in particular the
choice of appropriate animal models. Appropriate counterscreens to deselect compounds acting
via mechanisms with little anticipated clinical utility, and robust secondary assays for
identifying the most promising lead candidates are essential to the success of a high-throughput
screening program. The use of in vitro and in vivo secondary screens predictive of clinical
efficacy is of particular importance. A flow chart describing the major stages in the
identification of suitable compounds is presented in Figure 2. In order to maintain a focus on
macrofilaricidal activity, it will be important to avoid over-interpretation of data generated on
other species and life-cycle stages. For instance, compounds might fail in vitro larval assays
yet still have potent macrofilaricidal activity.

VI. Recommendations for WHO/TDR actions to enhance anti-filarial drug

discovery
The Working Group discussions converged on two sets of recommendations. The first and
most immediate of these focuses on specific actions through which “seed investment” by TDR
could facilitate filarial target identification and validation. The second comprises related
considerations for enhancing the anti-filarial drug discovery phases subsequent to target
validation.

9
A. Recommendations for specific initiatives in target identification and validation:
(1) Exploit the Brugia malayi genome sequence for the identification of candidate drug
targets. A systematic analysis of the Brugia genome sequence, including comparison with the
C. elegans genome sequence and RNAi phenotype database, and utilization of any relevant
available information for Onchocerca, should be carried out for the explicit identification of
desirable candidate drug targets, based on the criteria outlined above (see Figure 1 and Tables 1
and 2). The initial analysis can be performed in two phases, only one of which would require
expenditures by TDR:
(a) The first phase of the analysis is already in progress beginning with the B. malayi
genome annotation “jamboree” in January 2004, organized by The Institute for Genome
Research (TIGR), where the genome sequence has been generated and assembled. Dr. Jim
McCarter and Dr. Aziz Aboobaker, along with Dr. Clotilde Carlow of New England Biolabs in
collaboration with Dr Elodie Ghedin of TIGR, have indicated a willingness to undertake a
preliminary target identification as part of the Brugia genome analysis.
(b) Following the formal public release of the B. malayi genome sequence by TIGR,
anticipated before the end of 2004 concurrent with publication, TDR should convene a meeting
of a Target Selection Team to extend the preliminary analysis and produce a prioritized list of
more thoroughly evaluated candidate drug targets. This meeting will need to be held at a venue
able to provide access to the necessary computing infrastructure. The Target Selection Team
should include established investigators with expertise in bioinformatics and functional
analyses of nematode gene sequences. In addition, the team will benefit from the participation
of industry representatives cognizant of the specific considerations important for assay
development and drug screening. Furthermore, the inclusion of advanced trainees from
bioinformatics programs in endemic countries could lay the foundation for establishing an
ongoing target analysis project with significant contributing effort from these programs.
(c) Subsequent meetings of the Target Selection Team can be convened as needed to take
advantage of emerging new data and/or to refine the working priority list of candidate drug targets.
For instance, while use of RNAi knockout data will result in a focus of initial selection work on
targets with strong loss-of-function effects, a later review might concentrate on targets with
potentially strong gain-of-function phenotypes (i.e. channel agonists).
(2) Establish a center for target validation using RNAi analysis in Brugia malayi.
Biological validation of selected candidate drug targets will be needed to reap the full benefit of the
genome analyses. Genetic and RNAi screens by the C. elegans research community have yielded
and will continue to yield results that provide valuable guidance in the selection of biologically
relevant anti-nematode targets, and these efforts are in general well-supported by the mainstream
funding agencies. The selection of targets for anti-filarial drug discovery would be strengthened by
similar biological validation in a filarial nematode. While recent advances in applying RNAi
technology to filarial nematodes, in particular to B. malayi, have opened the possibility of obtaining
such validation, the resources and infrastructure for exploiting and improving this technology
remain quite limited, and investment by TDR could make a significant contribution toward filling
this particular gap in anti-filarial drug discovery.
The current status of Brugia RNAi is as follows. The process, though shown to work in Brugia
adults, requires further optimization and study. In particular questions about the longevity of
effect, which parasite stages can be affected, and the amount of dsRNA required (the significant
cost in the procedure) remain unanswered. The existing protocol is labor intensive as it was
designed to show proof of principle rather than to screen a large number of genes. Dr Aziz
Aboobaker, who was responsible for adapting the technique to Brugia, recommends that a
further 12-18 months by 1.5 full time researchers (full time postdoc, part time technical aid) be

10
spent on optimizing the technology. As with any subsequent target validation screen using the
technique, Dr Aboobaker considers the most important factor for this work to be the onsite
availability of the B. malayi lifecycle. Although Dr Aboobaker is no longer working directly on
this research he has offered to give technical advice as requested to any laboratory that
undertakes RNAi in Brugia.
The Working Group thus recommends that TDR fund a center with the function to (a) improve
the technology for optimal RNAi in B. malayi, and (b) to carry out systematic RNAi analysis of
candidate drug targets in B. malayi. The identification of a laboratory should be based on a
competitive award process involving proposal solicitation, peer review and defined milestones.
(3) Advocate completion of the Onchocerca volvulus genome sequence. While the
B. malayi genome sequence will be an invaluable resource for selection of candidate anti-
filarial drug targets, target identification and validation would be further enhanced by
availability of the O. volvulus genome sequence. Development of assays and drug screens
predictive of drug efficacy for onchocerciasis would also be facilitated by having the O.
volvulus genome sequence available as an information resource. Although full funding of a
genome sequencing effort is currently outside the scope of TDR’s program, the Working Group
recommends that TDR actively encourage other potential efforts to support an O. volvulus
genome sequencing project.
B. Considerations for enhancing other phases of anti-filarial drug discovery:
(1) Implementation of high-throughput screens (HTS) based on existing validated targets.
A variety of candidate filarial drug targets are the subjects of ongoing investigations in a number of
laboratories. However, most academic laboratories lack the infrastructure and resources to advance
a validated target into high-throughput compound screening. TDR is actively seeking access to high
throughput screening capabilities through a variety of approaches, some of which involve setting up
collaborations with biopharma companies, and others that involve working with dedicated
screening centers being set up within academic research institutes or universities. For example,
TDR has recently funded a program at a new HTS facility that has been established at the Walter
and Eliza Hall Institute in Australia. The target validation and selection criteria outlined above
(Table 2) provide a basis for prioritizing existing validated targets that could be provided to the
collaborating HTS facilities for compound screening. Ideally, HTS-ready assays will be available
for targets forwarded to the screening facilities. To identify such targets, the working group
recommends that TDR publish the validation and selection criteria in a call for letters of interest,
asking responding researchers (a) to nominate candidate targets that meet the criteria, (b) to
summarize the status of assay development for nominated targets, and (c) work to select targets up
front that are amenable to an HTS format assay. The subsequent review process would evaluate
and rank the nominated targets to select the most promising for compound screening.
(2) Evaluation of dormant anthelmintic candidates in industry chemical files. Animal
health and pharmaceutical companies with anthelmintic discovery programs may have files of
compounds exhibiting anti-nematode activity in early-stage screens that were not forwarded to
late-stage development due to lack of broad spectrum activity or other limitations. However,
some of these compounds could provide productive leads for anti-filarial drugs. TDR has
pursued discussions with some companies having such files about the possibility of testing
these compounds in assays predictive of anti-filarial efficacy. The Working Group was
supportive of this strategy for identifying a pool of compounds enriched for potential anti-
filarial candidates.
(3) Selection of secondary assays and drug testing models. For anti-filarial drug discovery,
reliable secondary in vitro and in vivo nematode screening models predictive of clinical efficacy
are of critical importance, and will be necessary for effective utilization of the target validation
11
process that was the primary focus of this Working Group. Thus the Working Group would
encourage TDR to maintain and improve the capability to test compounds from HTS in
meaningful models, perhaps by convening a similar Working Group to consider the preclinical
screening models.
(4) Advancement of nematode-specific resources for drug development. The successful
development of an active drug from a potent HTS hit is an enormous challenge. Antifilarial
drug development would benefit from a better knowledge of drug metabolism and uptake in
filariae, and from the development of nematode cell lines. These are long-term goals which the
Working Group encourages TDR to support.

VII. References
[1] Anonymous (2002) World Health Report 2002: Reducing Risks and Promoting Healthy
Life. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
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Journal of Medicine 334, 1178-1184.
[3] Lindley, D. (1987) Merck's new drug free to WHO for river blindness programme.
Nature 329, 752.
[4] Molyneux, D.H. & Zagaria, N. (2002) Lymphatic filariasis elimination: progress in
global programme development. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 96
Suppl 2, S15-40.
[5] Geary, T.G., Thompson, D.P. & Klein, R.D. (1999) Mechanism-based screening:
discovery of the next generation of anthelmintics depends upon more basic research.
International Journal for Parasitology 29, 105-112.
[6] Williams, S.A., et al. (2000) The filarial genome project: analysis of the nuclear,
mitochondrial and endosymbiont genomes of Brugia malayi. International Journal for
Parasitology 30, 411-419.
[7] Fraser, A.G., et al. (2000) Functional genomic analysis of C. elegans chromosome I by
systematic RNA interference. Nature 408, 325-330.
[8] Ashrafi, K., et al. (2003) Genome-wide RNAi analysis of Caenorhabditis elegans fat
regulatory genes. Nature 421, 268-72.
[9] Kamath, R.S., et al. (2003) Systematic functional analysis of the Caenorhabditis
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VIII. Acknowledgements
The members of the Scientific Working Group thank WHO/TDR for providing the opportunity
to meet and discuss this important topic.

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Table 1: Target Product Profile for a Suitable New Antifilarial Drug

(i) Primary Desired Characteristics

• oral use
• microfilaricidal
• macrofilaricidal or cause permanent sterilization of adult female (and ideally male)
worms, for Onchocerca, Brugia and Wuchereria
• lack of side effects directly following from worm death (i.e. cause slow rather than rapid
killing of worms)
• effective with one treatment per year for several years
• stable for 2 years under disease endemic area conditions
• safe to administer without prescription or health worker supervision
• safety profile comparable with ivermectin
• no evidence of cross resistance to existing anthelmintics

(ii) Secondary Desired Characteristics

• oral use for all ages, including children as young as two years
• safe to use during pregnancy and lactation
• single dose
• new mode of action
• molecularly defined mode of action (allows for improvements, resistance monitoring,
etc)
• efficacy and safety in combination with existing anthelmintics in use for filariasis
• cost effective at costing levels appropriate to disease endemic areas

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Table 2: Criteria for Selecting Suitable Antifilarial Drug Targets

1. Selectivity
• target is absent from mammals, or
• target has molecular properties which distinguish it from related mammalian molecules,
and/or
• evidence that the target can be selectively chemically inhibited or agonized relative to
other members of the same protein family

2. Validation
• evidence (RNAi, knockouts, inhibitors, etc) that the target is essential for growth,
survival, or fertility

3. ‘Druggability’
Priority is given to:
(i) Molecules with a small molecule ligand binding pocket, for example
• channels
• receptors
• transporters
• enzymes
(ii) Molecules that have precedents, i.e. existing drugs or ligands

4. Structure
• amino acid sequence of the target known
• desirable, but not essential: crystal or NMR structure known or obtainable, preferably
with bound cofactors, inhibitors or agonists/antagonists

5. ‘Assayability’
(i) Important features:
• expression precedent available
• existing biochemistry/enzymology
• single subunit is desirable
• specific readout that can be predicted, especially optical, that is compatible with
HTS
• chemistry available and/or structural approach possible via crystallization or NMR
(ii) Other desirable features include:
• focused chemical library already available for the class of molecule
• cell-based assays
• assays with functional endpoints
• assays with fewer steps (e.g. washes)

6. Potential for development of resistance

• absence of isoforms of the target with varying susceptibility within a species
• absence of biochemical ‘bypass’ reactions to circumvent function of the target

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Figure 1: Flow Chart for Identification and Validation of Antifilarial Drug Targets

Improve C. elegans RNAi Identify Brugia (and ‘Filarial’

Brugia RNAi ~2000 phenotypes Onchocerca) homologs academics
technology

Select C. elegans
phenotype, e.g. lethal, Information from parasite
uncoordinated, sterile biochemistry, etc

~ 600 candidates Add genes not

Assessment of present in C. elegans
druggability; target but conserved in
prioritization by TDR- Brugia/Onchocerca
funded Target Selection and/or yeast and/or
Team Drosophila
~100 candidates

Onchocerca
orthologs, ESTs,
etc; information
Assessment by TDR-funded from Wuchereria,
Target Selection Team: ~80 candidates
if obtainable
conservation test (remove if
too highly conserved),
check existing information
on molecule, look at active
site ~40 candidates

Brugia RNAi for

macrofilaricidal
(adult) phenotypes;
~20 candidates also Onchocerca
RNAi if feasible

Detailed curation

Assessment by TDR-funded Target Assessment Team which

includes assay development experts; meets as required

Further development:
assays, screens

15