Overview
- An early-stage study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases found that cabamiquine given with pyronaridine was effective and well tolerated in adults and adolescents, the trial results reported on Sunday.
- Cabamiquine is a novel, drug‑like molecule discovered at the University of Dundee that can be delivered as a single dose, a feature that could reduce missed or incomplete treatment in low-resource areas.
- The trial was run by Merck within the PAMAfrica consortium and co-funded by the EDCTP2 Programme with support from the EU and Sweden, while Medicines for Malaria Venture provided scientific and financial backing.
- MMV said it will advance the cabamiquine‑pyronaridine combination into larger trials and testing in children to fill remaining safety and efficacy gaps before any regulatory approval.
- The work arrives as global malaria cases and deaths have risen partly because of growing resistance to existing drugs, so a safe single-dose regimen could improve adherence, speed case management, and help limit further resistance.