Novel Novartis Malaria Drug Shows Promise to Become New Asset Against Resistant Strains

Malaria leads to nearly 600,000 deaths annually , but that figure was closer to 2 million a quarter century ago. Deaths spiked because the parasite that causes malaria developed resistance to drugs that were the standard of care for decades, said George Jagoe, executive vice president, access & product management, Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV).

The tide turned against the disease with Coartem, a Novartis combination therapy that became the new standard of care for malaria infection following its initial regulatory approval in 1999. But in parts of Africa where this infectious disease is prevalent, Jagoe said there are now worrying “smoke signals” of resistance to artemisinin, one of the main components of Coartem. An experimental Novartis malaria drug that brings a new mechanism o