Drug discovery on live worms*

helminGuard: Protection against / by parasitic worms (helminths)

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Culture dish
helminGuard is specialized in the in vitro culture of schistosomes. Larvae from S. mansoni und S. haematobium mature under host-like conditions into adults including deposition of viable eggs and hatching of miracidia (more).






High throughput screening on live schistosomes


Employing in vitro-cultured schistosomes for screening compound libraries, the team of helminGuard identified several drug candidates with anthelminthic activity.






Advantages of helminGuard's in vitro approach

  • Replacement of mammalian animal experiments according to the 3Rs principles.
  • Relevant results, because compounds are tested on live worms in a host-like environment.
  • Saving of time and costs for drug discovery (more).

*supported by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research Program “Alternative Methods to Animal Experiments”, BMBF/PTJ 0315277


In vitro-matured schistosome couples surrounded by immature eggs



News / Events
  • New in our portfolio single sex-infected snails: they are infected with one miracidium and release male or female cercariae only.
Informative Links:

Global Schistosomiasis Alliance