McMaster researchers discover new antifungal drug candidate

McMaster University researchers have discovered a new drug class that could potentially lead to new treatments for dangerous fungal infections.

The new molecules — dubbed ‘coniotins’ — were isolated from a fungus that grows on plants called Coniochaeta hoffmannii. Those samples were collected from the greenhouse on McMaster’s main campus. 

McMaster professor Gerry Wright is the principal investigator on the new study. He says there is a “huge, growing need for new drugs that target fungal infections.”

“Unlike antibiotics, of which there are dozens of different classes approved for use in clinics, there are really only three classes of antifungals on the market right now,” Wright said in a statement.

Historically, there has been a lack of urgency to find new fungal treatments. Most fungi can’t withstand human internal body temperatures and will die off before an infection gets serious. However, this seems to be changing.

“Discovery remains a challenge today, but the level of urgency has changed dramatically over the past 15 years or so,” he says.

“In 2009, a novel fungal pathogen called Candida auris emerged all over the world, and this fungus thrives at higher temperatures. It can be extremely drug-resistant too.”

C. auris is particularly problematic for individuals with compromised immune systems, like cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. It can infect the lungs, the bloodstream, and the nervous system, and can be fatal.

The new molecules Wright is working with at McMaster exhibit potent activity against C. auris. The research team has discovered that the coniotins not only attack the deadly fungus, but do so without harming human cells.

Next steps for the research include producing the molecules at scale through fermentation, and formulating the new drug class so it might be suitable for intravenous delivery.

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