Malaria
GC ADDA Malaria Flagship Project
DIG is the lead chemistry partner on the malaria project, ADDA4Malaria, part of the Grand Challenges African Drug Discovery Accelerator (GC-ADDA). This project involves mainly six African institutions and several international collaborators, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and LifeArc. Prof. Amewu oversees chemistry efforts on 2-3 compound series, managing design, synthesis, purity, chemical stability, and solubility testing.
Ghana Drug Discovery Hub
This initiative aims to establish a drug discovery hub in Ghana, with capabilities from hit discovery through lead optimization across diseases impacting West Africa. Leveraging existing networks and infrastructure, DIG plays a vital role in developing the medicinal chemistry capacity for Ghana and beyond, with an eventual expansion into TB, Covid, and more.
Buruli Ulcer
Focused on the NTD Buruli ulcer, DIG works on an early diagnostic method targeting the mycolactone toxin, critical in BU pathogenesis. Our approach aligns with REASSURED criteria, emphasizing accessibility and efficiency for rural areas in high-burden regions like West and Central Africa.
Visceral Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis research at DIG targets new chemotypes, especially for sterol methyltransferase inhibitors in the ergosterol pathway. We apply de novo and pharmacophore-based drug design to combat this disease and address issues like resistance, toxicity, and limited therapeutic options.
Our capabilities
- Hit discovery
- Medicinal and Synthetic Chemistry
- Computational Chemistry and Informatics