Novartis expands MMV partnership to create new antimalarial treatment

Novartis has announced a collaborative project with the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) to develop a new antimalarial therapy.

The company will further expand its long-standing partnership with MMV to further the development of the antimalarial compound KAF156, with scientific and financial support provided by MMV and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

It is one of the first antimalarial drug candidates to enter phase IIb clinical development in more than 20 years, having shown potential efficacy against Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, the two parasites responsible for the majority of malaria deaths.

The drug works against both the blood and liver stages of the parasite's life cycle, and could provide a more convenient dosing regimen to address the multidrug resistance that has emerged in a number of vulnerable nations.

Joseph Jimenez, chief executive officer of Novartis, said: "Partnerships and collaborations like this one with MMV are essential for the development of next-generation antimalarials and accelerating efforts to eradicate this deadly disease."

The Novartis Malaria Initiative has delivered more than 750 million treatments without profit, including 300 million dispersible paediatric treatments, since 2001.