ELISA assay for melarsoprol.

A sensitive ELISA method has been developed for measuring the trypanocidal drug melarsoprol. The test allows for the detection of the drug in human sera and in cerebrospinal fluid at the ng/ml level. Preliminary analyses on patient sera and CSF confirm the feasibility of the method. Further application of the test will enable to conduct the necessary pharmacokinetic and metabolic studies; the drug monitoring should hopefully result in improved treatment schedules minimizing the undesired side effects, e.g. lethal encephalopathies.