World Malaria Day looks forward to single tablet treatment
Scientists investigating a new substance that could potentially be used as a single dose therapy in the future
Initial results from an ongoing, multicentre study initiated by the non-profit organisation MMV (Medicines for Malaria Venture) are offering hope that malaria could be treated with a single tablet in the future.
Approximately 584,000 people worldwide die of malaria each year. The epidemic, strongly associated with poverty, claims most of its victims in Africa, often affecting children and pregnant women.
Current therapies have to be taken for several days to be effective against malaria. ‘Owing to supply bottlenecks, and the rapid reduction of symptoms, the administration of therapies for several days is often inadequate and can lead to treatment failure, which ultimately represents a threat to patients,’ said Michael Ramharter of the Infectiology and Tropical Medicine Division of the University for Internal Medicine I at MedUni Vienna during World Malaria Day.
Initial results from a multicentre study with Ramharter as principal investigator now provide hope for a single-dose malaria therapy. ‘Once the fever falls, one day after starting the therapy, patients often forget to take the medication. An effective single-dose treatment would be a giant step forward,’ he added.
In the multicentre study initiated by MMV and supported by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Science, Research and Economy, scientists are now investigating a new substance that could potentially be used as a single dose therapy in the future.
It involves the synthetic substance OZ439 (active ingredient Artefenomel), which is combined with the known active ingredient, Piperaquin. Ramharter observes: ‘One dose of the tablet dissolved in water kills all malarial parasites and even protects the patient from reinfection for a few weeks.’
The safety of the medication has now been successfully tested in phase IIb studies in adults, youths and children in eight countries in Africa, South America and Asia. Small children are now also being included in the study. The objective is to determine the optimum dosage of the new combination medication.
