Drug Discovery In Africa

Drug discovery originating in Africa has the potential to provide significantly improved treatment of endemic diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. This book critically reviews the current status of drug discovery research and development in Africa, for diseases that are a major threat to the health of people living in Africa. Compiled by leading African and international experts, this book presents the science and strategies of modern drug discovery. It explores how the use of natural products and traditional medicines can benefit from conventional drug discovery approaches, and proposes solutions to current technological, infrastructural, human resources, and economic challenges, which are presented when attempting to engage in full-scale drug discovery. Topics addressed are varied; from African medicinal plants to marine bioprospecting, pharmacogenetics and the use of nanotechnology. This book brings together for the first time a collection of strategies and techniques that need to be considered when developing drugs in an African setting. It is an unprecedented and truly international effort, highlighting the remarkable effort made so far in the area of drug discovery research by African scientists, and scientists from other parts of the world working on African health problems.

Synthesizing Hope opens up the material and social world of pharmaceuticals by focusing on an unexpected place: iThemba Pharmaceuticals. Founded in 2009 with a name taken from the Zulu word for hope, the small South African startup with an elite international scientific board was tasked with drug discovery for tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria. Anne Pollock uses this company as an entry point for exploring how the location of scientific knowledge production matters, not only for the raw materials, manufacture, licensing, and distribution of pharmaceuticals but also for the making of basic scientific knowledge. Consideration of this case exposes the limitations of global health frameworks that implicitly posit rich countries as the only sites of knowledge production. Analysis of iThemba identifies the problems inherent in global north/south divides at the same time as it highlights what is at stake in who makes knowledge and where. It also provides a concrete example for consideration of the contexts and practices of postcolonial science, its constraints, and its promise. Synthesizing Hope explores the many legacies that create conditions of possibility for South African drug discovery, especially the specific form of settler colonialism characterized by apartheid and resource extraction. Paying attention to the infrastructures and laboratory processes of drug discovery underscores the materiality of pharmaceuticals from the perspective of their makers, and tracing the intellectual and material infrastructures of South African drug discovery contributes new insights about larger social, political, and economic orders.

Tuberculosis (TB) kills approximately 4,500 people worldwide every day. While most cases of TB can be treated with antibiotics, some strains have developed drug resistance that makes their treatment more expensive, more toxic and less effective for the patient. The IOM Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation and the Academy of Science of South Africa held a workshop to discuss ways to fight the growing threat of drug-resistant TB.

Approx.344 pages

This book examines the landscape of sustained investment in research and innovation in Africa, which are critical for development. This cutting-edge analysis is based on empirical evidence and the author’s experience in managing health and related innovations on the continent and globally. It concludes, for the first time, that African innovation is largely driven by the principles of Social, rather than Technological innovation. The significance of this finding and the need to optimize, scale and sustain this dominant innovation is addressed in various chapters that analyze the status, challenges and opportunities. Particularly, the financing, collaboration and coordination patterns for these activities on the continent show a fragmented ecosystem that is largely dependent on external donors and aid. The importance of supportive policies, leadership and venture mechanisms that incentivizes public and private entities to innovate is further exemplified by the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic. The book proposes mechanism to address identified challenges.

NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES AND PHYTOCHEMICALS IN DRUG DISCOVERY Explore novel drug discovery updates from medicinal plants to help fight the devastating effects of neglected tropical diseases Neglected Tropical Diseases and Phytochemicals in Drug Discovery delivers a comprehensive exploration of the drug discovery process as it pertains to neglected tropical diseases. The book covers recent advancements in drug discovery, as well as druggable targets and new challenges facing the industry. It offers readers expansive discussions of specific diseases, including protozoan, helminth, bacterial, viral, fungal, and ectoparasitic infections. This book provides readers with insightful perspectives from leading industry voices on fifty years of trends and progress in the search for new, safe, and affordable therapeutic drugs in the fight against neglected tropical diseases. It includes information beneficial to researchers in a variety of fields of biology, chemistry, medicine, and pharmaceuticals. The distinguished authors cover topics including the effects of phytochemicals on the causative agent of leprosy and the potential applicability of phytochemicals in the management of Dengue fever. Readers will also enjoy the inclusion of: Thorough introductions to neglected tropical diseases, phytochemicals, protein targets, and mechanisms in drug discovery, as well as the epidemiology of neglected tropical diseases An exploration of novel bioactive lead compounds for drug discovery against neglected tropical diseases, leishmaniasis, lymphatic filariasis, trypanosomiasis, and schistosomiasis Discussions of protozoan infections, including herbal, nutritional, and traditional remedies for giardiasis and the anti-leishmanial potentials of phytochemicals Examinations of helminth infections, including the prospects of phytochemicals in the treatment of helminthiasis Perfect for medicinal chemists, drug developers, and research and development scientists, Neglected Tropical Diseases and Phytochemicals in Drug Discovery will also earn a place in the libraries of toxicologists and researchers in biology, chemistry, medicinal chemistry, ethnobotany, and bioinformatics seeking a one-stop resource for drug discovery for neglected tropical diseases.

Nigerian drug lords in UK prisons, khat-chewing Somali pirates hijacking Western ships, crystal meth-smoking gangs controlling South Africa's streets, and narco-traffickers corrupting the state in Guinea-Bissau: these are some of the vivid images surrounding drugs in Africa which have alarmed policymakers, academics and the general public in recent years. In this revealing and original book, the authors weave these aspects into a provocative argument about Africa's role in the global trade and control of drugs. In doing so, they show how foreign-inspired policies have failed to help African drug users but have strengthened the role of corrupt and brutal law enforcement officers, who are tasked with halting the export of heroin and cocaine to European and American consumer markets. A vital book on an overlooked front of the so-called war on drugs.

Focusing on phytochemicals and their potential for drug discovery, this book offers a comprehensive resource on poisonous plants and their applications in chemistry and in pharmacology. Provides a comprehensive resource on phytotoxins, covering historical perspectives, modern applications, and their potential in drug discovery Covers the mechanisms, benefits, risks and management protocols of phytotoxins in a scientific laboratory and the usefulness in drug discovery Presents chapters in a carefully designed, clear order, making it an ideal resource for the academic researcher or the industry professional at any stage in their career