ENDPOINT: Developing new tests and treatments for neglected tropical diseases
- Video
4 November 2026
At Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), we’re working with international partners to develop new ways to diagnose and treat two neglected tropical diseases: lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness.
Through ENDPOINT, a £4.5 million UK aid-funded research partnership, we’re bringing together scientific expertise, new technologies and community-led research to help accelerate progress towards eliminating these diseases.
Watch our video to discover how ENDPOINT is developing new diagnostic tools and exploring treatments that could transform the lives of people affected by neglected tropical diseases.
[00:00:00] ENDPOINT is a product development partnership funded by a four and a half million pound investment. ENDPOINT is targeting the accelerated elimination of two important neglected tropical diseases, lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis, that together affect the well-being of over one billion individuals worldwide
ENDPOINT can be broken down into three distinct project areas.
In project one, we’re developing a wearable sensor to diagnose lymphatic filariasis. We hope that the new technology will overcome acceptability issues of taking night-time blood samples to diagnose lymphatic filariasis, and in this way, we’ll be enabling decisions to stop mass drug administration programmes as we move towards elimination
In Project Two, ENDPOINT is supporting FAME, which is [00:01:00] an EU-funded clinical trial based in Cameroon. FAME is looking at testing the efficacy and safety of a common and cheap antibiotic called fusidic acid. If fusidic acid is deemed to be effective against onchocerciasis in this clinical trial, we may be looking at an exciting treatment shortening regimen to accelerate the elimination of onchocerciasis.
In Project Three, ENDPOINT is undertaking drug discovery research here at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine to develop a new fast-acting anti-Wolbachia based drug to target both lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis.
Because these scientific breakthroughs are only ever useful if the communities affected adopt them, we’re drawing on expertise available at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in terms of social science, [00:02:00] in terms of research uptake, and in terms of regulatory science knowledge in order to advance our product development areas.
Effective and equitable partnerships underpins our ENDPOINT and FAME projects. We are immensely grateful to be working with renowned experts across the world, including the Leprosy Mission in Nepal, the University of Buea in Cameroon, the University of Bonn, Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, and the Infection Innovation Consortium here at LSTM.
Three approaches to tackling neglected tropical diseases
ENDPOINT brings together three areas of research, each addressing a different challenge in diagnosing, treating and eliminating lymphatic filariasis and river blindness.
Developing a wearable diagnostic for lymphatic filariasis
Working with partners in Nepal, we’re developing a wearable sensor that could detect lymphatic filariasis without the need for blood samples.
This technology could make testing easier and more acceptable to communities, helping health programmes monitor infections and make informed decisions about when mass treatment programmes can safely stop.
Exploring shorter treatments for river blindness
In Cameroon, ENDPOINT is supporting the FAME clinical trial, which is investigating whether fusidic acid, an existing antibiotic, could provide a shorter treatment for onchocerciasis.
If proven safe and effective, this approach could offer a more practical treatment option and help accelerate progress towards eliminating river blindness.
Discovering new drugs to tackle both diseases
Researchers at LSTM are also developing new medicines that target Wolbachia, bacteria that live inside the parasitic worms responsible for both diseases.
By targeting these bacteria, scientists hope to develop faster-acting treatments that can stop the worms reproducing and surviving.
Working together to turn research into impact
Developing new technologies and treatments is only part of the challenge. They must also be accessible, practical and acceptable to the people who need them.
That’s why ENDPOINT brings together researchers, communities, healthcare professionals and international partners to understand how these innovations could work in practice.
By combining scientific discovery with community engagement and equitable partnerships, we aim to develop solutions that can support national disease elimination programmes and improve lives.