New therapy proves safe for children

The Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative DNDI has announced that clinical trial results provide evidence for the safe introduction of Artesunate-Mefloquine Fixed-Dose Combination (ASMQ FDC) into Africa?s current malaria treatment arsenal to help tackle the most common parasitic killer?.

A multi-centre clinical trial in Africa, launched in 2008, which tested the efficacy and tolerability of ASMQ fixed-dose combination (FDC) in children under 5 years of age with uncomplicated falciparum malaria, showed that ASMQ FDC is as safe and effective as Artemether-Lumefantrine (AL) FDC – Africa’s most widely used treatment.

Data in Africa on the combination (AS+MQ non fixed-dose) had previously documented high efficacy, acceptable safety and tolerability. Obtaining further clinical data on the combination of Artesunate with Mefloquine used on children in Africa was recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its Prequalification Programme. ASMQ FDC is one of several recommended ACTs that aim to delay the emergence of resistance to the individual drug components of the combination treatment.

ASMQ study results_Press Release (505 kB)