Identifying novel drugs with new modes of action for neglected tropical fungal skin diseases (fungal skinNTDs) using an Open Source Drug discovery approach.

The authors were unable to identify studies in which causative agents of all three skinNTDs were included, indicating that an integrated approach is currently lacking. From current available data, the azoles and iodoquinol were the only compounds with activity against causative agents from the three different fungal skinNTDs. Fungal melanin inhibition enhanced the activity of antifungal agents. For mycetoma, the fenarimols, aminothiazoles and benzimidazole carbamates are currently being investigated in the MycetOS initiative. To come to a more integrated approach to identify drugs active against all three fungal skinNTDs, compounds made in the MycetOS initiative could also be explored for chromoblastomycosis and sporotrichosis.