Conjugate for treating malaria

A peptide-polymer conjugate comprising a polymer to which an antiplasmodial peptide is covalently attached, wherein the antiplasmodial peptide is a cyclic decapeptide having an amino acid sequence of cyclo(X10-X1-Leu-D-Phe-Pro-X2-X3-X4-X5-X6) (SEQ ID NO:

• 1), where:
• X10 is Val, Ile, or Leu;
• X1 is Orn or Lys;
• X2 is Val, Leu, Ile, Phe, Trp, or Tyr;
• X3 is the D-isomer of Val, Leu, Ile, Phe, Trp, Tyr, or L-isomer of Orn or Lys;
• X4 is Asn, Gln or Leu;
• X5 is Gln or the D-isomer of Phe;
• and
• X6 is Tyr, Phe, Trp, Pro, or hydroxyproline;
• wherein the antiplasmodial peptide is conjugated to the polymer by way of a linkage comprising a beta-thiopropionate or beta-thiopropionamide, which causes the ester or amide linkage to be unstable and to release the antiplasmodial peptide at acidic pH, the linkage being formed by:
• modifying the antiplasmodial peptide to comprise an acrylate ester or acrylamide, and
• covalently linking the acrylate ester or acrylamide of the modified antiplasmodial peptide to a thiol end-group of a chain end of the polymer via Michael addition, and
• wherein the peptide-polymer conjugate can be taken up by erythrocytes and has activity against a malaria parasite.