Skip to content
AMR Drug RepurposingSmart Screeningresearch prototype

Nifurtimox

FDA-approved product (tablet, oral), marketed as Lampit.

Registered studies
19
Lab records
0
Pathogens at ≥40%
3 of 4

Chemical structure

Chemical structure of Nifurtimox
A drawing shows what the molecule is, not what it does.

Existing / approved use

Documented · FDA, WHO, ChEMBL

Approved for

  • American trypanosomiasis
  • Chagas disease
  • Leishmaniasis
  • Trypanosomiasis

Indications ChEMBL records as approved, from FDA and DailyMed labels. Label ↗

WHO therapeutic group
Nitrofuran derivatives
Anti-infective classification
Classified as another kind of anti-infective (for example an antifungal, antiviral or antiparasitic medicine).WHO ATC P01CC01

Repurposing investigation

This medicine is being investigated here for AI-predicted antimicrobial activity against E. coli, MRSA and M. tuberculosis. It was surfaced computationally for further investigation; it is not an established treatment for these infections.

AI-predicted activity

AI prediction · nothing measured
  • MRSA44.9% AI-predicted activityAt or above the ≥40% mark this site uses to surface candidates.
  • E. coli42.7% AI-predicted activityAt or above the ≥40% mark this site uses to surface candidates.
  • K. pneumoniae23.9% AI-predicted activityBelow the ≥40% mark this site uses to surface candidates.
  • M. tuberculosis78.4% AI-predicted activityAt or above the ≥40% mark this site uses to surface candidates.

A model’s estimate of laboratory activity against each pathogen species. It is not clinical effectiveness.

Evidence

Clinical and experimental

Documented evidence

Clinical

19registered studies name this medicine, for any condition. See them below.

Experimental

No evidence found

No laboratory measurement against the four pathogens in the ChEMBL records loaded here.

Open Nifurtimox in ChEMBL Registered studies below

Docking

Computational · nothing measured

Dihydrofolate reductase ↗ (E. coli)

-6.9 kcal/mol

0better fit →-12

KPC-2 carbapenemase ↗ (K. pneumoniae)

-7.6 kcal/mol

0better fit →-12

Enoyl-ACP reductase (InhA) ↗ (M. tuberculosis)

-7.5 kcal/mol

0better fit →-12

Dihydrofolate reductase ↗ (MRSA)

-6.8 kcal/mol

0better fit →-12

AutoDock Vina, one experimentally solved protein per pathogen. This project’s screening target is -7.0 kcal/mol, its own mark rather than a universal cutoff. A docking score is a structural hypothesis, not proof of binding, and requires experimental validation.

Other medicines to investigate

AI prediction · nothing measured

Other repurposing candidates: approved medicines besides Nifurtimox with AI-predicted activity ≥40% against the chosen pathogen, leaving out existing antimicrobials. They are computational candidates for further investigation, not alternatives and not recommendations.

Sorted by AI-predicted activity, high to low. The order is not a ranking of which medicine is better.

Registered studies

A registration describes a study; it does not establish a positive result.

  • Safety Study of Nifurtimox for Relapsed or Refractory Neuroblastoma

    NCT00486564 · start 2006-11

    Registered record
    Registry ID
    NCT00486564
    Conditions
    Neuroblastoma
    Interventions
    Nifurtimox
    Study type
    INTERVENTIONAL
    Phase
    Phase 1
    Registry status
    Completed
    Start
    2006-11
    Completion
    2009-06
    Enrolment
    20

    As stored from ClinicalTrials.gov. Registration describes a study; it does not mean the study worked.

    ConditionNeuroblastoma
    InterventionNifurtimox
    PhasePhase 1
    Registry statusCompleted

  • Eflornithine + Nifurtimox Late-Stage Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT)in West Nile, Uganda

    NCT00489658 · start 2002-10

    Registered record
    Registry ID
    NCT00489658
    Conditions
    Trypanosomiasis, African
    Interventions
    Eflornithine plus Nifurtimox combination therapy
    Study type
    INTERVENTIONAL
    Phase
    Phase 2 / Phase 3
    Registry status
    Terminated
    Start
    2002-10
    Completion
    Not recorded
    Enrolment
    31

    As stored from ClinicalTrials.gov. Registration describes a study; it does not mean the study worked.

    ConditionTrypanosomiasis, African
    InterventionEflornithine plus Nifurtimox combination therapy
    PhasePhase 2 / Phase 3
    Registry statusTerminated

  • Randomized Clinical Trial of Three Drug Combinations for Late-Stage Gambiense Human African Trypanosomiasis

    NCT00330148 · start 2001-03

    Registered record
    Registry ID
    NCT00330148
    Conditions
    Trypanosomiasis, African
    Interventions
    melarsoprol 1.8 mg/kg/d, 10d + nifurtimox 15/20 mg/kg/d, 10d; melarsoprol 1.8 mg/kg/d, 10d + eflornithine 400 mg/kg/d, 7d; nifurtimox 15/20 mg/kg/d 10d + eflornithine 400 mg/kg/d 7d
    Study type
    INTERVENTIONAL
    Phase
    Phase 3
    Registry status
    Terminated
    Start
    2001-03
    Completion
    2004-06
    Enrolment
    435

    As stored from ClinicalTrials.gov. Registration describes a study; it does not mean the study worked.

    ConditionTrypanosomiasis, African
    Interventionmelarsoprol 1.8 mg/kg/d, 10d + nifurtimox 15/20 mg/kg/d, 10d; melarsoprol 1.8 mg/kg/d, 10d + eflornithine 400 mg/kg/d, 7d; nifurtimox 15/20 mg/kg/d 10d + eflornithine 400 mg/kg/d 7d
    PhasePhase 3
    Registry statusTerminated

  • Efficacy - Safety of Eflornithine-Nifurtimox Combination Versus Eflornithine to Treat Human African Trypanosomiasis

    NCT00146627

    Registered record
    Registry ID
    NCT00146627
    Conditions
    Trypanosomiasis, African
    Interventions
    Eflornithine; Nifurtimox
    Study type
    INTERVENTIONAL
    Phase
    Phase 3
    Registry status
    Completed
    Start
    Not recorded
    Completion
    2008-06
    Enrolment
    280

    As stored from ClinicalTrials.gov. Registration describes a study; it does not mean the study worked.

    ConditionTrypanosomiasis, African
    InterventionEflornithine; Nifurtimox
    PhasePhase 3
    Registry statusCompleted