Recent news
February 2011
Single-dose malaria drug enters Phase II trials
February 28, 2011 -- A single-dose malaria drug candidate has progressed to Phase II clinical trials in malaria patients, after Phase I trials found the drug candidate to be safe and effective. The new malaria treatment is being developed by Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) in partnership with three academic institutes: the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Monash University, and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute.
The drug candidate, called OZ 439, is a synthetic compound that could offer an alternative to artemisinin, a widely-used compound in malaria treatments. Artemisinin resistance is increasing worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for new malaria therapies. “OZ 439 holds a great deal of promise to power the eradication of malaria as it fits the bill on the two most crucial features of the ideal medicine: the potential for a one-dose cure and a treatment for artemisinin-resistant strains. If the clinical development proceeds as planned we can expect to see a new combination medicine launched by 2016. This will be a great day for malaria treatment and a real credit to the power of partnerships,” said Tim Wells, MMV’s Chief Scientific Officer. See the links below for more information.
