Landmark Approval: Coartem Baby Paves Way for Infant Malaria Treatment
Novartis has received approval in Switzerland for Coartem Baby, the first drug designed specifically to treat malaria in infants and very young children. The treatment, which is also known as Riamet Baby in some regions, offers a dissolvable, cherry-flavored formulation to help improve administration. Eight African countries are set to approve Coartem Baby following its assessment, aiming to close the treatment gap for the youngest malaria patients.
Novartis announced on Tuesday that it had secured Swiss approval for Coartem Baby, the first medication specifically aimed at treating malaria in infants and very young children.
The breakthrough drug, also known as Riamet Baby in certain regions, is expected to gain swift approval in eight African nations that participated in its assessment, including Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Nigeria. The new formulation features a dissolvable, cherry-flavored variant designed for ease of administration.
Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), a Swiss non-profit, collaborated with Novartis in developing this infant-specific treatment, which is poised to fill a significant healthcare gap. Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan expressed pride in offering the first clinically proven malaria remedy for newborns, ensuring care for Africa's most vulnerable population at minimal profit margins.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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