Nicholas J. WhiteFrançois H. NostenFaculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityNuffield Department of Medicine2022-08-042022-08-042021-12-01Malaria Journal. Vol.20, No.1 (2021)147528752-s2.0-85109364252https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/77165Single Encounter Radical Cure and Prophylaxis (SERCAP) describes an ideal anti-malarial drug that cures all malaria in a single dose. This target product profile has dominated anti-malarial drug discovery and development over the past decade. The operational advantage of a single encounter has to be balanced against the need for a high dose, reliable absorption, little variability in pharmacokinetic properties, slow elimination (to ensure curative drug exposures in all patients) and a very low rate of vomiting. The demanding aspirational target may have hindered anti-malarial drug development. Aiming for three-day regimens, as in current anti-malarial treatments, would be better.Mahidol UniversityImmunology and MicrobiologyMedicineLetterSCOPUS10.1186/s12936-021-03821-z