The translational challenge in Chagas disease drug development

Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. There is an urgent need for safe, effective, and accessible new treatments since the currently approved drugs have serious limitations. Drug development for Chagas disease has historically been hampered by the complexity of the disease, critical knowledge gaps, and lack of coordinated R&D efforts. This review covers some of the translational challenges associated with the progression of new chemical entities from preclinical to clinical phases of development, and discusses how recent technological advances might allow the research community to answer key questions relevant to the disease and to overcome hurdles in R&D for Chagas disease.

查加斯病（Chagas disease）是由原生动物寄生虫克氏锥虫（Trypanosoma cruzi）引发的被忽视热带病。鉴于目前获批的治疗药物存在严重局限性，开发安全、有效且可及的新型疗法已迫在眉睫。长期以来，查加斯病的药物开发一直受困于该疾病的复杂性、关键知识缺口以及协同研发（R&D）工作的匮乏。本综述探讨了新型化学实体从临床前开发阶段迈向临床开发阶段进程中面临的若干转化挑战，并讨论了近期技术进步如何助力科研界解答与该疾病相关的核心问题，同时攻克查加斯病研发进程中的各类障碍。