Breakthroughs Blog: Pandemic preparedness

Interested in more global health innovation news? Every week GHTC scours media reports worldwide to deliver essential global health R&D news and content to your inbox. Sign up now to receive our weekly R&D News Roundup email. A new study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases ahead of World Malaria Day last week found that adding a low dose of the widely available antimalarial drug primaquine to artemisinin-based combination therapy is safe and effective at blocking Plasmodium falciparum malaria transmission in young children in areas of low- and moderate-to-high transmission. The new study fills a gap in knowledge of the safety and efficacy of this approach for young children, who face the highest burden of clinical malaria and are particularly at risk of artemisinin-resistant strains but could face adverse complications from adult formulations of primaquine. The findings highlight the need for child-friendly formulations of primaquine and support the expanded use of the drug in regions with a moderate-to-high transmission rate and the threat of artemisinin partial resistance.The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, the National Health Service University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, and the University of Liverpool have initiated a clinical trial in Liverpool, United Kingdom to test an oral drug for visceral leishmaniasis, one of the world’s deadliest parasitic diseases. Current treatments for visceral leishmaniasis, which is almost always fatal if left untreated, include daily injections for up to 17 days, which can cause immediate pain, as well as nausea, vomiting, and more serious complications. The new oral drug, DNDI-6899, is easier to store, transport, and administer than current treatments. If proven successful, the drug could help make treatment more accessible to those who need it most.DioSynVax and ACM BioLabs have signed a new deal to jointly develop a next-generation avian flu vaccine with the potential for mucosal vaccine delivery, as the virus continues its worrying spread. The mRNA vaccine targets all major clades of the H5 avian flu subtype and could be scaled for rapid distribution globally in the case of a pandemic. The vaccine is also designed to be delivered via nasal spray, which could help increase uptake; to induce mucosal immunity, which helps fight the pathogen before it starts circulating the body; and to be temperature stable, enabling rollout in lower-resource settings.

Interested in more global health innovation news? Every week GHTC scours media reports worldwide to deliver essential global health R&D news and content to your inbox. Sign up now to receive our weekly R&D News Roundup email. The Sabin Vaccine Institute has launched a multi-site Phase 2 clinical trial, supported by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, in the United States to test its Marburg vaccine candidate, as outbreaks of the virus, for which there is no approved vaccine, grow in frequency. This trial builds on previous Phase 2 testing in Kenya and Uganda, as well as an open-label Phase 2 trial in Rwanda during the country’s outbreak last year. These trials in the African regions where Marburg and other similar viruses are most common or endemic are key to ensuring the vaccine is effective in the populations currently facing the highest risk of outbreaks. In addition, this new trial in the United States provides key safety and immune response data in non-endemic populations, helping prepare us for the possibility of outbreaks outside of the virus's typical range.Researchers have discovered a small antibody fragment that can block fertilization by targeting a key protein on the egg's surface, potentially paving the way for a nonhormonal contraceptive method. The fragment was found to be effective in mice, and it could potentially have fewer side effects due to its small size. Currently available hormonal contraceptive methods can cause side effects, like mood changes, headaches, or increased risk of blood clots, leading researchers to look for nonhormonal options for people who do not want to or cannot use hormonal methods. The researchers will next develop a similar antibody for human targets and test it in IVF experiments.The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and partners initiated Phase 2 clinical trials in Malawi and Tanzania testing a new, easier-to-administer, and patient-friendly formulation of flucytosine, a medicine used to treat cryptococcal meningitis, which is a major health threat to people with weakened immune systems, including those with advanced HIV disease. Currently, flucytosine can be difficult to administer in resource-limited settings, and many countries face limited supply. As a result, access to timely treatment is limited in Africa, where the disease kills up to 70 percent of those who get it. The new formulation reduces dosing frequency from four times a day to just twice daily, is easier to take with water or through a nasogastric tube, and is suitable for outpatient self-administration.

Interested in more global health innovation news? Every week GHTC scours media reports worldwide to deliver essential global health R&D news and content to your inbox. Sign up now to receive our weekly R&D News Roundup email. A new study led by a multi-country research team has found that the Xpert MTB/Ultra molecular diagnostic test for stool samples, which is currently only recommended for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis in children, could serve as an alternative TB diagnosis option for adults living with HIV—a potential gamechanger for improving diagnosis among this population. Thirteen percent of the 1.25 million TB deaths in 2012 were among people living with HIV, but access to the sputum- and urine-based tests currently recommended for TB diagnosis in this population is limited in many settings, and they are not effective for all people living with HIV. The researchers found that, compared to current tests, the stool test was effective, and, in some cases, even identified additional cases that were not detected in sputum or bacterial culture.The Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) last week announced a $3.7 million award to ArrePath to support its first-in-class antibiotic for treating complicated urinary tract infections caused by multidrug-resistant Enterobacterales bacteria. If it proves successful, the novel antibiotic class could target the vast majority of multidrug-resistant Enterobacterales infections. The class of antibiotics also has attributes that suggest it could be administered orally or intravenously, allowing more flexibility for patients. ArrePath identified the new class using an artificial intelligence and machine-learning-enabled approach.Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a freeze-dried formulation of Bavarian Nordic’s vaccine for mpox and smallpox, Jynneos, enabling additional flexibility in stockpiling doses of the vaccine to prepare for future outbreaks of smallpox or mpox. The freeze-dried vaccines are easier to store and transport and have a longer shelf life than the frozen liquid version, which was approved in 2019. Bavarian Nordic will deliver the first freeze-dried vaccines later this year.

Interested in more global health innovation news? Every week GHTC scours media reports worldwide to deliver essential global health R&D news and content to your inbox. Sign up now to receive our weekly R&D News Roundup email. Last week, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced a $43.5 million deal with AstraZeneca to further the development of novel antibodies designed to target four pandemic influenza virus strains, which could reduce costs and improve access to monoclonal antibody treatments. The antibodies, called VHH, have unique potential to be a key medical countermeasure in the event of an influenza pandemic, and this investment marks the first time they are being looked at for pandemic flu protection, although they are currently being studied as a potential tool to address chronic diseases, including cancers. If proven effective down the line, VHH antibodies could serve as a stopgap in the case of an influenza pandemic before vaccines can be widely rolled out.A team of Chinese researchers has discovered a bacterial compound that can kill infectious fungi, including antifungal-resistant strains, as antimicrobial resistance, including resistance to antifungals, continues to rise around the world. The compound, mandimycin, was effective against World Health Organization fungal priority pathogens Candida auris, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Aspergillus fumigatus in lab tests and was able to treat an antifungal-resistant Candida auris strain in mice. The compound also seemed less likely than other compounds to lead to the development of resistance in the fungi exposed to it, underscoring its potential as a key tool to address this growing global public health crisis.Last week, the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) and deepmirror announced a new disease-agnostic platform, Drug Design for Global Health, designed to accelerate drug discovery through machine learning and artificial intelligence in low- and middle-income countries. The partners aim to bolster global health security by speeding up the development of new drugs for a variety of significant diseases, including malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases. Specifically, the platform aims to eliminate financial barriers for scientists in low- and middle-income countries and give them access to cutting-edge technology, enabling them to drive innovation in drug discovery research efforts.