The Medical Need for Patients with Schistosomiasis

TY - CHAP

T1 - The Medical Need for Patients with Schistosomiasis

AU - Caldwell, Nicola

AU - Gilbert, Ian

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2026 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s).

PY - 2025/10/4

Y1 - 2025/10/4

N2 - Schistosomiasis affects around 140 million people worldwide, with the highest impact on people living in low- or middle-income countries. Although the number of deaths due to schistosomiasis seems relatively low, there is a long-term health burden on patients with chronic or repeat infections. Many historical anthelmintic drugs approved for the treatment of schistosomiasis are no longer in use due to a lack of efficacy or intolerable side effects. Praziquantel remains the only available treatment, but it has some considerable disadvantages—suboptimal efficacy against juvenile worms and a potential risk of developing resistance. Despite an obvious need for alternative antischistosomals, no new treatment options have emerged in the last 40 years and there are very few drug discovery programs working in this area. To tackle schistosomiasis, there is a need to establish a community-agreed target product profile to outline desirable criteria for developing new treatments. Recognizing the clinical impact of schistosomiasis and identifying the key requirements will help inform drug discovery efforts.

AB - Schistosomiasis affects around 140 million people worldwide, with the highest impact on people living in low- or middle-income countries. Although the number of deaths due to schistosomiasis seems relatively low, there is a long-term health burden on patients with chronic or repeat infections. Many historical anthelmintic drugs approved for the treatment of schistosomiasis are no longer in use due to a lack of efficacy or intolerable side effects. Praziquantel remains the only available treatment, but it has some considerable disadvantages—suboptimal efficacy against juvenile worms and a potential risk of developing resistance. Despite an obvious need for alternative antischistosomals, no new treatment options have emerged in the last 40 years and there are very few drug discovery programs working in this area. To tackle schistosomiasis, there is a need to establish a community-agreed target product profile to outline desirable criteria for developing new treatments. Recognizing the clinical impact of schistosomiasis and identifying the key requirements will help inform drug discovery efforts.

KW - Anthelmintics

KW - Disease burden

KW - Drug discovery

KW - Schistosomiasis

KW - Target product profile

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105025629350

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-97397-0_3

DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-97397-0_3

M3 - Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:105025629350

SN - 9783031973963

SP - 41

EP - 63

BT - Praziquantel

A2 - Spangenberg, Thomas

PB - Springer Science + Business Media

ER -