Background: Malaria invasion of red blood cells involves multiple parasite-specific targets that are easily accessible
to inhibitory compounds, making it an attractive target for antimalarial development. However, no current antimalarial
agents act against host cell invasion.
Results: Here, we demonstrate that the clinically used macrolide antibiotic azithromycin, which is known to kill human
malaria asexual blood-stage parasites by blocking protein synthesis in their apicoplast, is also a rapid inhibitor of red
blood cell invasion in human (Plasmodium falciparum) and rodent (P. berghei) malarias. Multiple lines of evidence
demonstrate that the action of azithromycin in inhibiting parasite invasion of red blood cells is independent of
its inhibition of protein synthesis in the parasite apicoplast, opening up a new strategy to develop a single drug
with multiple parasite targets. We identified derivatives of azithromycin and erythromycin that are better invasion
inhibitors than parent compounds, offering promise for development of this novel antimalarial strategy.
Conclusions: Safe and effective macrolide antibiotics with dual modalities could be developed to combat malaria
and reduce the parasite’s options for resistance.