Background
Current treatments for soil-transmitted helminth infections in humans have low efficacy against Trichuris trichiura. Emodepside — a drug in veterinary use and under development for the treatment of onchocerciasis in humans — is a leading therapeutic candidate for soil-transmitted helminth infection.
Methods
We conducted two phase 2a, dose-ranging, randomized, controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of emodepside against T. trichiura and hookworm infections. We randomly assigned, in equal numbers, adults 18 to 45 years of age in whom T. trichiura or hookworm eggs had been detected in stool samples to receive emodepside, at a single oral dose of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 mg; albendazole, at a single oral dose of 400 mg; or placebo. The primary outcome was the percentage of participants who were cured of T. trichiura or hookworm infection (the cure rate) with emodepside 14 to 21 days after treatment, determined with the use of the Kato–Katz thick-smear technique. Safety was assessed 3, 24, and 48 hours after the receipt of treatment or placebo

Conclusions

Emodepside showed activity against T. trichiura and hookworm infections. (Funded by the European Research Council; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05017194. opens in new tab.)