Background

Parasitic nematodes exert a significant global economic impact on livestock farming. The control of these parasites is currently reliant on a small group of anti-hemintics, however resistance is becoming increasingly commonplace which limits current and future control options.

Technology Overview

Glasgow researchers are taking a multidisciplinary approach (nematode genetics, biochemistry, structural biology, molecular modelling and chemistry) to identifying novel drug targets in nematodes with a goal to develop new classes of inhibitors that will effectively control the current resistant nematode strains.

The research has focused on moulting enzymes that play critical developmental roles in all nematodes. Three classes of compounds have been identified that have potent inhibitory effects against the recombinant enzymes. In-vitro these compounds have been shown to