Forum Recommendations: Malaria
Posted by Daniela Pereira-Lengkeek on 23 November 2009 at 17:52
After reviewing the current state of clinical research on Malaria, the following recommendations for future research were made by the researchers that participated in the scientific sessions:
Vaccines
EDCTP is currently funding clinical trials involving candidate malaria vaccines GMZ2 and vectored vaccine AdCh63 MVA-TRAP.
Development of research capacity for testing vaccines in Africa was highlighted as a gap especially in relation to:
– Aquisition and maintenance of equipment and infrastructure
– Maintenance of the site between activities
– Retention of staff.
The need to support the development of other candidate malaria vaccines was recommended to EDCTP.
Treatment of uncomplicated malaria
- Several artemisinin-based drugs are being tested. Some are registered and others near registration. Focus should therefore be considered on studies in special target groups such as infants
- In vitro and in vivo artemisinin parasite resistance has been reported. It is therefore recommended to support the development of non-artemisinin combinations.
Treatment of severe malaria
- Currently quinine is the mainstay for severe malaria
- Data with an investigational intravenous artesunate GMP product show good results for efficacy and safety in severe malaria in African children
- There is a need to support product development in this area.
Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) strategies
There is a need to continue supporting studies that investigate:
- Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) in pregnancy, IPTp
- Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) in infants, IPTi.
Pregnancy Associated Malaria
- Quinine remains the safest available drug used for treatment of malaria in pregnancy
- A few studies involving ACTS are completed and some are ongoing
- There is need for more safety and PK data
- There is need to investigate alternative new drugs.
