Could a new malaria drug be a game-changer in Africa?

NAIROBI - Hundreds of thousands of lives could be saved with a new, breakthrough treatment for malaria that tackles rising resistance across Africa to the mosquito-borne disease, according to the drug's developers.   

Non-profit Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) and Swiss pharmaceutical firm Novartis, said ganaplacide/lumefantrine or GanLum, was more than 97% effective at treating malaria in final stage trials among 1,688 people across 12 African countries.

"GanLum could represent the biggest advance in malaria treatment for decades," said Abdoulaye Djimdé, the trial lead and professor of parasitology and mycology at the University of Science, Techniques and Technologies in Bamako, Mali. 

"Drug resistance is a growing threat to Africa, so new treatment options can’t come a moment too soon," he added in a statement.

Malaria, spread when female mosquitoes bite humans, kills nearly 600,000 people a year, with 95% of all deaths occurring in Africa and most victims under the age of five.

Four African countries - Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger and Tanzania - make up more than half of all global deaths of what is a preventable and curable disease.

Here's what you need to know about the new drug and why it matters.    

Why is the development of this new drug important?    

The development of GanLum is crucial because malaria remains a major global health threat, particularly in Africa where millions are affected annually. 

Rising resistance to existing anti-malarial drugs has made treatment less effective, threatening to reverse decades of progress in controlling the disease. 

This new drug offers fresh hope by potentially overcoming resistant malaria strains, which is vital to reducing illness and deaths caused by malaria worldwide.

How does this treatment work?    

The new treatment combines ganaplacide with lumefantrine.

Ganaplacide is a novel compound that targets the malaria parasite in a unique way, disrupting its life cycle more effectively. Lumefantrine, an established anti-malarial, boosts the treatment's potency. 

Together, they work to kill the parasite more efficiently and promise greater resistance than older therapies offer.

The treatment is taken as a once-daily sachet of granules for three days, which is simpler for many patients than the usual twice-daily regimen. 

GanLum also effectively combats gametocytes, the sexual parasite stage responsible for onward transmission. So, it both treats the individual and slows the disease's spread. 

Could it be a game-changer for Africa?

It could make a major difference in Africa, which suffers the vast majority of malaria cases and deaths. 

Better treatment slows transmission by clearing infections faster, helping to break the cycle of infection in communities. 

This would support broader malaria control and elimination programmes, potentially saving millions of lives in the region.

"It has the potential to be especially useful in high burden settings such as East Africa where adherence is a challenge and where signs of resistance are starting to appear," George Jagoe, head of access at MMV, told Context.   

What about safety and side-effects?

Clinical trials indicate the new treatment is generally safe and well tolerated, according to its developers.

"Our safety findings were reassuring. The Phase 3 data raised no serious concerns," said MMV's Jagoe. "As with all drugs, ongoing monitoring after approval will be important." 

When and where will the treatment be rolled out?

Novartis plans to seek U.S. regulatory approvals for GanLum as soon as possible, the company said in a statement. MMV's Jagoe said approval should be granted in 2027.    

After that, GanLum may be registered for use in key countries, including countries where the drug was trialled, and in places where fears around resistance run highest. 

Will it be affordable across Africa?    

GanLum is being developed on a not-for-profit, no-loss basis - covering operational, production and delivery costs rather than aiming for big margins.

"Our aim is to ensure that the communities most affected by malaria can benefit from new innovation without facing financial barriers," Jagoe said.

(Reporting by Nita Bhalla; Editing by Lyndsay Griffiths)