SINDOFO Consortium completes recruitment for the ZYFER-1 study: marking progress toward a new short-course malaria treatment

The SINDOFO consortium is advancing the development of a novel, non-artemisinin-based short-course treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria by combining zintrodiazine (also known as ZY19489) with ferroquine (FQ). This innovative regimen aims to tackle the growing challenge of antimalarial drug resistance while also strengthening sustainable research capacity across Africa.

In November 2025, the Consortium reached a key milestone: successful completion of participant recruitment for the ZYFER-1 clinical study (n=36). This Phase Ib, randomised, single-centre trial, conducted at the Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL) in Gabon, is evaluating the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of different dosing regimens of zintrodiazine in combination with ferroquine in adult asymptomatic carriers of P. falciparum.

Zintrodiazine is a fast-acting triaminopyrimidine with a favourable resistance profile, while ferroquine is a long-acting 4-aminoquinoline effective against chloroquine-resistant parasites. Their complementary modes of action make this combination a promising malaria candidate for a simplified, potentially single-dose malaria treatment.