Child-friendly Anti-Malarials
This collaborative project between Rondol, BASF and Queen's University Belfast aimed to develop and manufacture a robust child-friendly fixed dose combination (FDC) while reducing the dose strength of Lumefantrine and the frequency of administration.
Malaria, a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites and transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes, led to 242 million cases and an estimated 608,000 deaths in 2022, with children under 5 being particularly vulnerable.
Despite WHO's global strategy initiated in 2015, aimed at reducing malaria incidence and death rates, especially among children, these targets remain unmet. Lumefantrine (LUM), a BCS class IV drug with poor aqueous solubility and low absorption, is used in combination with Artemether (AT) as in Coartem®/Riamet® Dispersible tablets for treating uncomplicated malaria. This combination benefits from AT's rapid action on parasitemia and LUM's longer-lasting effects. However, LUM's low oral bioavailability, influenced by dietary intake, poses challenges for effective treatment, potentially leading to treatment failure and malaria recurrence.