New trial to find best way to treat severe malaria in children
Children suffering from severe malaria are set to benefit from a new clinical trial which will compare the efficacy of two different treatment methods. The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), funded in part under the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), is funding the €5.3 million trial, which will be carried out in Gabon and Malawi. Currently, children suffering from severe malaria are treated with intravenous quinine. However, this is poorly tolerated and has a number of side effects. The World Health Organisation already recommends that adults in low-transmission areas with severe malaria receive artemisin-based treatments such as intravenous artesunate. However, as yet there is little information on the efficacy of these drugs in children with malaria living in high transmission regions, such as Africa. The first goal of the study is to obtain more information on the efficacy, safety and tolerability of intravenous artesunate in children with severe malaria, to see if it could replace quinine. The researchers also hope to be able to simplify the dosing regime of intravenous artesunate from five to three injections. 'If we can show superior efficacy and/or safety and tolerability of the new artesunate regimen in African children, we are likely to see a major policy change in the treatment of severe malaria in African children,' said Dr J Carl Craft, Chief Scientific Officer of the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), which is sponsoring the trial. 'I.V. artesunate has the potential to save countless young lives.' 'The most rational and effective way to combat a serious problem such as malaria in Africa is to combine all available resources,' added Professor Charles Mgone, EDCTP Executive Director. 'Working in collaboration with MMV, EDCTP is supporting this partnership of European and African scientists to find a safe, affordable and accessible treatment for malaria in children.' According to the World Health Organisation, malaria causes one in five childhood deaths in Africa, making it the leading cause of death in children on the continent.
Countries
Gabon, Malawi