WHO approves first malaria treatment for infants

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GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially prequalified the first-ever malaria treatment specifically developed for newborns and young infants. The medication, a new formulation of artemether-lumefantrine (branded as Coartem Baby), was designed by Novartis in collaboration with the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) to treat babies weighing between 2kg and 5kg.

Previously, the approximately 30 million infants born annually in malaria-endemic regions were treated with formulations meant for older children, which carried significant risks of toxicity and dosing errors.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that this milestone, alongside new vaccines and diagnostic tools, makes ending malaria "a real possibility". Novartis has committed to making the treatment available on a not-for-profit basis in endemic areas.