In a major breakthrough, the first-ever treatment for malaria has been approved for newborns and infants under 11 pounds.
According to CNN, drugmaker Novartis announced Tuesday, July 8, that the Swiss authorities have approved the Coartem Baby or Riamet Baby drug for the treatment of malaria in babies weighing between 2 kilograms (4 pounds, 6 ounces) and 5 kilograms (11 pounds).
Swiss drug company Novartis and Geneva-based nonprofit Medicines for Malaria Venture develop Coartem Baby.
Swissmedic stated, “The newly authorised product addresses a critical treatment gap for one of the most vulnerable patient populations, young infants suffering from malaria.”
The drugmaker added that Coartem Baby is already approved in Ghana, and it is expecting that eight more African countries, including Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda, will approve it in the next 90 days.
Novartis CEO Dr. Vas Narasimhan said, “(We are) proud to have gone further to develop the first clinically proven malaria treatment for newborns and young babies, ensuring even the smallest and most vulnerable can finally receive the care they deserve.”
As per World Health Organisation (WHO) data, malaria is a preventable and treatable disease, but still it affected 263 million people globally in 2023 and killed 600,000 people.
Children under 5 are most vulnerable to malaria, accounting for 76% of malaria deaths in Africa.
