London (PA Media/dpa) – Scientists have created the first new anti-malaria drug in quarter of a century in a bid to cut out resistance to existing treatments. Researchers found their new treatment has a “very high cure rate” of more than 97.4% – and in some assessments over 99.2%. Experts said that they were “very excited” by the findings. “This has a potential to not just treat the disease, but also to work against the resistant parasites, [and] additionally, block the transmission of the disease,” said Dr Sujata Vaidyanathan, head of global health development at Novartis, which created the new drug. The treatment, known as GanLum, works by disrupting the internal protein transport system in the malaria parasite – which is essential for the parasite to survive in the blood. Experts said that they have been sounding the alert about resistance to anti-malaria treatments and the GanLum will help stem the concern. Dr Vaidyanathan went on: “We are starting to see emergence of resistance. “In order to address this, we set about to create a totally new kind of compound. “There has not been major innovation in the treatment of malaria in the past 25 years, because the ACT’s (artemisinin-based combination therapies) have worked so well. “But now, resulting in the resistance that is arising, we have set up to develop a completely new treatment for malaria.” She added: “In addition to treating malaria, [it] has the potential to kill the resistant parasites. “The way the drug works is by disrupting the parasite’s internal protein transport system and which then is essential for these parasites to survive inside the red blood cells. “So this way, it’s able to address the disease, as well as able to work across the different parasite spectrum.” Scientists have now reported back on their large clinical trial assessing the treatment in the real world, presenting their findings to the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene annual meeting in Toronto. The trial ran across 34 sites in 12 countries in Sub Saharan Africa involving 1,700 adults and children who weighed more than 10kg. “It had a very high cure rate,” Dr Vaidyanathan said. Commenting on the findings, Professor Abdoulaye Djimde – co-ordinator of the West African Network for Clinical Trials of Antimalarial Drugs, said: “I must say that I’m very, very excited and very pleased to see the results of GanLum. “Despite the progress that has been made recently, malaria is actually becoming more of a challenge because of many factors: climate change; funding cuts and others. “The numbers are going in the wrong direction, added to that, the looming development of resistance. “So having a new compound that is that effective and that safe is music to my ears.” He added: “GanLum could represent the biggest advance in malaria treatment for decades, with high efficacy against multiple forms of the parasite as well as the ability to kill mutant strains that are showing signs of resistance to current medicines.” Novartis said that the novel ingredient in GanLum, ganaplacide, was discovered after screening 2.3 million molecules. GanLum is made up of ganaplacide and a new formulation of existing antimalarial lumefantrine, a longer-acting treatment. The treatment is given as a sachet of granules once a day for three days. Novartis said it plans to seek regulatory approvals from health authorities for GanLum as soon as possible. The following information is not intended for publication pa dpa coh
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