Caused by the parasite protozoarian Trypanosoma cruzi, the Chagas disease is transmitted by the feces of an insect (triatomine) known as kissing bug. When it gets to the blood circulation, the parasite affects the ganglions, the liver and the spleen. After that, it goes to the heart, intestine and esophagus and, in the chronic phases of the disease, there may be destruction of the muscle tissue and its flaccidity makes these parts increase. Those injuries are definitive, irreversible. Facing that reality, Fiocruz Minas Gerais is developing a drug with trypanocidal activity for treating and healing the Chagas disease through nanotechnologies. This is the project “Berenice – grupo de pesquisa benznidazol e triazol para nanomedicina e inovação na doença de Chagas (benznidazol and triazol research group for nanomedicine and innovation in the Chagas disease)”, supported by Fiotec.

Berenice is the name given to the research network created, acting between the Latin America and Europe, with teams from Fiocruz and the Tropical Hygiene and Medicine Institute (IHMT) of Portugal, which has studied innovative therapeutic formulation for fighting the Chagas disease. The idea is developing an intervention with improved tolerance, low cost and more efficient than the ones existing.

Nowadays, the therapeutic treatment against the Chagas disease can be limited to only one drug that, despite of being efficient in the serious phase of the disease, is restricted and toxic in the chronic phase. The new nanoformulation will be developed by the group so that its utilization and production become sustainable, using nanoparticles and a new administration means, with relevant impact on the drug safety, since the therapeutic efficiency will increase.

The new application of the current drugs and the combination of the knowledge existing will provide new low cost solutions, affecting the Chagas disease control in endemic and non-endemic countries. Besides, those efforts may increase the healing rate in up to 10 times with lower cost.

Berenice

The project name has as reference the finding of Carlos Chagas on the Chagas disease, through the patient Berenice Soares de Moura, the first person in history to be diagnosed with the disease. She has never received any treatment, as it had not been found yet. Berenice represents not only the need for an accurate and early diagnosis, but also the right to receive proper treatment. 

*With information from the Tropical Hygiene and Medicine Institute (IHMT) of Portugal