Leishmaniasis - Oral treatment with hexadecylphosphocholine

Hexadecylphosphocholine (HDPC, Miltefosine, Impavido(R)) was synthesized at the Max-Planck-Institut fir Biophysikalische Chemie in Gottingen, Germany and successfully used for the therapy of cancer metastases [7, 8]. At the Institute of General and Tropical Hygiene of Gottingen University the antiparasitic efficacy - earlier mentioned by Croft et al. (1987) [6] - could be established for the first time in animals after oral administration [14]. In India Impavido(R) has been recently registered for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis as the first oral medication in this indication. Clinical studies in India [13,17-19] - actually a phase IV study is running and Columbia (cutaneous leishmaniosis [15]) demonstrated the excellent efficacy of this oral treatment also in patients with Antimon resistance [9-11]. The cure rates are above 90% with low side effects (Impavido(R) twice 50 mg capsules daily over 28 days).