Experimental bed nets show promise in blocking malaria parasite development inside mosquitoes

Researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health are developing experimental bed nets that target malaria parasites inside mosquitoes rather than killing the insects. By coating nets with mitochondria-disrupting compounds like atovaquone and optimized ELQs, scientists successfully blocked parasite development in laboratory tests and field trials in Adama, Ethiopia. Larger-scale trials in experimental huts are scheduled for late 2026 to test human protection.

Parasite-targeting bed nets

• ▪Traditional insecticide-treated bed nets are losing efficacy because mosquitoes are developing resistance to the chemicals used to kill them.
• ▪Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health are developing experimental bed nets designed to stop malaria by killing the parasite inside mosquitoes rather than killing the mosquitoes.

Mitochondrial drug mechanism

• ▪Researchers are targeting the Plasmodium falciparum parasite's mitochondria to disrupt its energy supply, preventing it from developing and transmitting to humans.
• ▪Researchers identified the amino acid transporter PfApiAT2 as another potential drug target to disrupt the growth of malaria parasites inside mosquitoes.
• ▪The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum relies on its mitochondria to fuel its replication from a few cells into thousands over a two-week period inside a mosquito.

Atovaquone compound testing

• ▪Harvard researchers tested atovaquone, an oily antimalarial drug used in humans, to see if it could penetrate a mosquito's cuticle and block the parasite's mitochondrial function.
• ▪During tests in Burkina Faso, mosquitoes exposed to atovaquone-coated glass plates before feeding on parasite-infected blood were found to be completely parasite-free.

ELQ compound optimization

• ▪Harvard researchers collaborated with Oregon Health & Science University to identify and optimize two endochin-like quinolones (ELQs) that can penetrate mosquito cuticles from bed nets.
• ▪The optimized endochin-like quinolones (ELQs) target two separate sites on an essential mitochondrial protein, reducing the likelihood of the malaria parasite developing resistance.

Field trials in Ethiopia

• ▪In Adama, Ethiopia, mosquitoes exposed to treated bed nets and fed blood from local malaria patients showed zero parasite development.
• ▪Larger-scale trials using experimental huts are scheduled for September and October 2026 in Ethiopia to evaluate if the treated nets protect humans during peak malaria season.
• ▪Researchers collaborated with the Southwest Research Institute to coat full-scale bed nets with mitochondria-targeting compounds for real-world testing.

Mosquito eradication alternatives

• ▪Harvard researcher Flaminia Catteruccia argues that eradicating mosquitoes is likely impossible and could cause severe repercussions for the food chain and environment.
• ▪Malaria causes more than 600,000 deaths annually, primarily affecting children, highlighting the urgent need for alternative prevention methods.

1 source