Anacor Pharmaceuticals and Scynexis have announced the successful completion of pre-clinical studies of oral drug candidate SCYX-7158 (AN5568), used to treat sleeping sickness.

The studies demonstrated the drug’s safety and its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, proving it effective against the disease in its first two stages.

The study, published in scientific journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, also showed that the drug could change the way of treating sleeping sickness by reducing its incidence in humans, and contributing to elimination of the disease.

The new compound will soon be advanced to Phase I human clinical trials.