Humanized mouse models infected with human Plasmodium species for antimalarial drug discovery

Introduction: Efforts on malaria drug discovery are expected to increase in the coming years to achieve malaria eradication. Owing to the increasing number of new potential candidates together with the actual limitations of the primate models, humanized mouse models infected with human Plasmodium spp. (HmHP) now appear as an alternative to the primate model.

Areas covered: The authors review the progress obtained in the HmHP in the last two decades, with a special emphasis of their input on the drug discovery pathway. The authors discuss the methodologies and strategies used in these models to obtain an accurate assessment of the compound activity and a reliable prediction of the human efficacious regimen.

Expert opinion: Research efforts have led us to an era in which HmHP can successfully be infected with P. falciparum, P vivax and P. ovale. Furthermore, it is now a reality that the complete human cycle of P. falciparum can be obtained in HmHP. The HmHP has shown a real input mainly in the preclinical evaluation of new compounds against the erythrocytic stages of P. falciparum. However, further technical improvements are needed before HmHP may replace the primate model.