Plasmodium falciparum cysteine protease falcipain-2 (FP-2) is a promising target for antimalarial chemotherapy and inhibition of this protease affects the growth of parasite adversely. A series of pyrido [1, 2-a] pyrimidin-4-ones were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro FP-2 inhibitory potential. Compounds (14, 17) showed excellent FP-2 inhibition and can serve as lead compounds for further development of potent FP-2 inhibitors as ...