Background to Malaria programme

Falcipain-2 (FP-2) and falcipain-3 (FP-3) are cysteine peptidases produced by the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.  FP-2 and FP-3 catalyse the proteolysis of host proteins as a means of completing various stages of their life-cycles as well as acquiring nutrients.  FP-2 and FP-3 have been found to be essential for parasite growth and completion of the blood stage of their life-cycle.  Selective inhibition of FP-2 and/or FP-3 may provide a novel treatment for malaria.