In vitro activity of mirincamycin (U24729A) against Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Gabon.

We assessed the in vitro activity of mirincamycin, a lincosamide antibiotic, against Plasmodium falciparum clinical isolates from Gabon. Growth was determined by HRP2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using an adapted protocol with a prolonged incubation time (6 days) to account for antibiotic-induced delayed death. Mirincamycin's cis and trans isomers are more active (median 50% inhibitory concentrations [IC(50)s], 3.2 nM and 2.6 nM) than the comparator drugs clindamycin (IC(50), 12 nM) and doxycycline (IC(50), 720 nM), and therefore, further clinical development is promising.