Starving the Malaria Parasite: Inhibitors Active against the Aspartic Proteases Plasmepsins I, II, and IV

Clamping down: A new class of aspartic protease inhibitors that target the malarial protease family Plasmepsin are reported. These ligands utilize a novel “diamine clamp” to engage the catalytic dyad. They are potent inhibitors of plasmepsins I, II, and IV, while retaining good selectivity against the closely related human cathepsins D and E.