Biopharmaceutical company AN2 Therapeutics Inc (Nasdaq: ANTX) announced on Wednesday that it has entered into a strategic collaboration with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) to accelerate the clinical development of AN2-502998, a novel oral drug candidate for chronic Chagas disease.

AN2-502998, an orally active CPSF3 inhibitor from the benzoxaborole class, targets the T. cruzi parasite responsible for Chagas disease. The compound is structurally related to acoziborole, which demonstrated a ~95% cure rate in human African trypanosomiasis. AN2 has initiated Phase 1 startup activities, with completion expected in H2 2025 and a Phase 2 proof-of-concept study planned for 2026.

DNDi, leveraging its extensive clinical trial network across Latin America and Spain, will provide operational and scientific support. The collaboration aims to develop a safer, more effective, and accessible treatment option for the estimated 6–7 million global Chagas patients, including 300,000 in the United States.

No FDA-approved treatments currently exist for adult Chagas patients. This alliance seeks to fill a critical treatment gap for a disease that causes long-term, often silent, damage to the heart and gastrointestinal system, and can result in life-threatening complications in up to 30% of chronically infected individuals.