Spread largely by female Anopheles mosquitoes, malaria's largest death toll in recent years has been seen in children in sub-Saharan Africa. — dpa
Researchers reported last Wednesday (Oct 12, 2025) two promising new approaches to counteract malaria’s growing resistance to medication, one of which involves a new class of drugs.
Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company Novartis released results of what it called a next-generation treatment.
In a study involving about 1,700 adults and children in 12 African countries, the experimental drug was found to have a cure rate of better than 97%, which was a little higher than a common artemisinin-based treatment.
It was also highly effective against mutant malaria parasites with partial drug resistance, Novartis officials said.
The drug is a combination of a new drug, ganaplacide, and an existing long-acting medication, lumefantrine.
It is given as a packet of tiny powder-like granules once daily for three days.
Side effects included fever and anaemia – similar to what’s seen in patients who take some of the current antimalarials, according to Novartis officials.
There was a higher level of vomiting right after the drug was given, which company officials say may stem from its taste.
The company is exploring flavouring or sweetening, a spokesman said.
The drug is not yet licensed and more than a year away from being available, but Novartis officials said they are working toward regulatory approvals.
It’s needed, said Johns Hopkins University malaria expert Dr David Sullivan.
The parasite that causes the disease is developing resistance to existing drugs, meaning “the ice is thinning”, he says.
“It hasn’t given way, but we’re concerned.”
Another challenge is getting people to take malaria drugs over several days – some stop after one or two doses makes them feel better.
Experts say a third or more of malaria patients fail to complete the current standard three-day treatment course, a problem that can encourage drug resistance and allow curable cases to intensify.
In an effort to offer a one-time treatment, another team of researchers said an experiment in Gabon found a single dose of four widely-available malaria drugs proved to be an effective cure.
Parasitic infection specialist Dr Ghyslain Mombo-Ngoma led the study where the researchers gave a single-dose treatment combining an artemisinin with three other antimalarial medications, i.e. pyronaridine, sulphadoxine and pyrimethamine.
From May 2024 to last month (October 2025), he and his colleagues treated more than 1,000 patients – half of them younger than 10 – who were sick with malaria, but not suffering life-threatening symptoms.
A little over half got the four-drug, one-time treatment.
The rest got a standard, artemisinin-based treatment.
Blood tests 28 days later showed 93% of patients who received the one-time treatment were free of parasites, compared with 90% who received the standard three-day course.
Dr Mombo-Ngoma said there are discussions underway with a drug manufacturer to produce a single capsule or packet of pills to help create an inexpensive, easy-to-take cure.
Dr Sullivan, however, noted that resistance is already established to some components of the treatment, meaning it will likely prove to be “a short-term fix”.
World Health Organization (WHO) malaria expert Dr Andrea Bosman said that the new treatment approaches can complement other efforts against malaria, including treated mosquito bed nets and new vaccines.
Malaria is caused by a parasite that spreads through mosquito bites.
Infected people can suffer fever, chills and flu-like illness that, if left untreated, can lead to severe complications and death.
It’s mainly found in tropical and subtropical climates.
The two studies were presented at the 2025 American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada. – AP
