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Chloroquine prophylaxis
Chloroquine inhibits parasitic growth and modulates immune responses by accumulating in acidic compartments and interfering with parasite metabolism and host inflammatory pathways.
Chloroquine inhibits parasitic growth and modulates immune responses by accumulating in acidic compartments and interfering with parasite metabolism and host inflammatory pathways. Used for Malaria prophylaxis in endemic regions, Malaria treatment, Lupus erythematosus.
At a glance
| Generic name | Chloroquine prophylaxis |
|---|---|
| Also known as | CQ |
| Sponsor | Radboud University Medical Center |
| Drug class | Antimalarial; immunomodulator |
| Target | Plasmodium falciparum heme detoxification pathway; toll-like receptors |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Infectious Disease; Immunology |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
Chloroquine is a quinoline antimalarial that concentrates in the acidic food vacuoles of malaria parasites, disrupting their ability to detoxify heme and leading to parasite death. Beyond antiparasitic effects, it also modulates immune function by raising intracellular pH, reducing inflammatory cytokine production, and inhibiting toll-like receptor signaling, making it useful for both infectious disease prevention and certain autoimmune conditions.
Approved indications
- Malaria prophylaxis in endemic regions
- Malaria treatment
- Lupus erythematosus
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Common side effects
- Gastrointestinal disturbance (nausea, abdominal pain)
- Headache
- Pruritus
- Visual disturbances (blurred vision, accommodation difficulty)
- Retinopathy (with long-term use)
- Cardiomyopathy (rare, with prolonged use)
Key clinical trials
- Efficacy of Pre-exposure Treatment With Hydroxy-Chloroquine on the Risk and Severity of COVID-19 Infection (NA)
- Vivax Elimination With Tafenoquine (VET) Study (PHASE4)
- Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 in Hospital Workers s Exposed to the Virus (PHASE3)
- Preventing Malaria in School Children to Protect the Whole Community in Rural Blantyre District, Malawi (PHASE4)
- COVID-19 PEP- High-risk Individuals in Long-term and Specialized Care - Canada (PHASE3)
- An Interventional Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Tafenoquine (TQ) and Primaquine (PQ) When Either Are Taken Together With Chloroquine (CQ) for the Treatment of P. Vivax Malaria in Indian Participants Aged 2 Years and Older (PHASE3)
- CLEVER Pilot Trial: A Phase II Pilot Trial of HydroxyChLoroquine, EVErolimus or the Combination for Prevention of Recurrent Breast Cancer (PHASE2)
- Which of the Commonly Available and Approved Drugs in Addition to Standard of Care Can Significantly Improve the Slope of Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate at Two Years When Compared to Standard of Care Alone in South-Asian Kidney Biopsy-proven Adult (≥18 Years) Primary IgA Nephropathy? (PHASE4)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Chloroquine prophylaxis CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Chloroquine prophylaxis updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Radboud University Medical Center portfolio CI