The recent approval of the first malaria treatment for newborns and young infants may soon lead to widespread use across Africa, according to the drugmaker Novartis.
This medication, referred to as Coartem Baby (or Riamet Baby in certain regions), has been sanctioned by Swiss authorities for infants weighing between 2 kilograms (about 4 pounds, 6 ounces) and 5 kilograms (11 pounds), and it’s designed to be user-friendly for little ones, Novartis noted.
Coartem Baby has already received approval in Ghana, and Novartis anticipates that eight additional African nations will follow suit within the next 90 days. These countries—Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda—participated in evaluating the drug’s effectiveness.
Vas Narasimhan, the CEO of Novartis, mentioned in a news release that this groundbreaking treatment for infants ensures that “even the smallest and most vulnerable can finally receive the care they deserve.”
Previously, the tiniest infants suffering from malaria, a potentially fatal illness transmitted via mosquito bites, were treated using medications intended for older children. This practice posed significant risks of overdose and toxicity for newborns, as pointed out by Novartis.
“It’s unfortunate that most clinical trials have historically left out babies under six months old,” remarked Ruairidh Villar, a representative from Novartis.
According to World Health Organization data, there were 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths recorded in 2023, with almost all incidents occurring in Africa. Alarmingly, children under five accounted for about three-quarters of the malaria-related deaths in the region.
The medicine was created by Novartis in partnership with the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), a non-profit organization based in Switzerland.
Novartis has indicated it intends to distribute the medicine soon, primarily on a not-for-profit basis.
“Malaria is among the deadliest diseases globally, especially for children. Yet, with adequate resources and attention, it can be eradicated,” stated Martin Fitchet, CEO of MMV.
The approval of Coartem Baby not only offers an essential treatment optimized for a neglected patient group but also adds a significant tool to the fight against malaria.
