This week, the world marks World Antimicrobial Awareness Week and malaria parasites, though often forgotten, are part of the range of microbes preventing us from achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Good Health and Well-being. Malaria remains an immense public health burden, especially in Africa. It mainly affects the poor, and remains an immense health […] Continue reading ->
The 97% cure rate for the novel compound, ganaplacide/lumefantrine in a recent Phase 3 trial offers hope for continued progress rolling back malaria even as resistance to artemisinin combination therapies (ACT) escalates.  A next-generation antimalarial drug GanLum (ganaplacide/lumefantrine, KLU156) slightly outperformed a standard of care Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) in a recent Phase 3 trial […] Continue reading ->
There is an urgent need for a more comprehensive pandemic risk monitoring system that tracks threats and preparedness in real time, according to the WHO-hosted Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, in a report launched at the World Health Summit. This followed the release of a new World Health Organization data documenting the sharp global rise in […] Continue reading ->
Ghana is the first country in the world to roll out a malaria treatment specially formulated for newborn babies. The new treatment, known as Coartem <5 kg Baby, uses a new ratio and dose of artemether-lumefantrine to account for metabolic differences in babies under 5kg. Small babies handle drugs differently due to the immaturity of their […] Continue reading ->
The first pregnant woman infected with malaria has been recruited into a Phase 3 trial in Mali that is evaluating the efficacy and safety of antimalarial drugs during the first trimester of pregnancy. Pregnant women are more susceptible to malaria as they have reduced immunity, and malaria poses serious risks to both mothers and babies. […] Continue reading ->
The region of the Americas has seen eight times the number of yellow fever cases this year, compared to the same period in 2024. The vaccine-preventable, viral, mosquito-borne disease has surged as cases “spillover” from animals, according to a Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) rapid risk assessment. Dense jungles in Colombia and Brazil have seen […] Continue reading ->