Antibiotic for deadly superbug behind hospital infections enters final trials
Acinetobacter baumannii is a short, rod-shaped, gram-negative bacterium. Scientists call it an "opportunistic bacterial pathogen" as it affects people with weak immune systems, highly present in hospital settings.Acinetobacter baumannii has been recognised as an "urgent threat" by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and has become increasingly resistant to existing antibiotics.Currently, no new antibiotics targeting this superbug have been developed in over five decades.
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche announced on Monday that its experimental antibiotic, zosurabalpin, developed in collaboration with Harvard University, is moving into phase 3 trials. ()
What sets zosurabalpin apart is that it works in a new way, using a mechanism that bacteria haven't yet found a way to resist. This fresh approach brings new optimism to a field where many treatments are failing due to antibiotic resistance.advertisementInfections caused by drug-resistant bacteria are not only difficult to treat but also widespread. Globally, sepsis is estimated to cause 11 million deaths a year, while community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) kills 3 to 4 million people annually, especially among the elderly."Antimicrobial resistance is one of the biggest infectious disease challenges to public health. Our goal is to contribute new innovations to overcome this growing threat.',' said Michael Lobritz, Roche's global head of infectious diseases, told The Independent.Larry Tsai, head of immunology and product development at Roche's US unit Genentech, added that Acinetobacter baumannii is present in every country. He added that the unique biology involved in developing zosurabalpin might even lead to future discoveries in the fight against other resistant bacteria.The phase 3 trial will compare the effects of zosurabalpin to current standard treatments, and if successful, the drug could be ready for approval by the end of this decade.
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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
The first drug to treat infants sick with malaria is approved by Swiss authority
GENEVA: Switzerland's medical products authority has granted the first approval for a malaria medicine designed for small infants, touted as an advance against a disease that takes hundreds of thousands of lives - nearly all in Africa - each year. Swissmedic gave a green light Tuesday for the medicine from Basel-based pharmaceutical company Novartis for treatment of babies with body weights between 2 and 5 kilograms (nearly 4½ to 11 pounds), which could pave the way for hard-hit African nations to follow suit in coming months. The agency said that the decision is significant in part because it's only the third time it has approved a treatment under a fast-track authorization process, in coordination with the World Health Organization, to help developing countries access needed treatment. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo The newly approved medication, Coartem Baby , is a combination of two antimalarials. It is a lower dose version of a tablet previously approved for other age groups, including older children. Dr. Quique Bassat, a malaria expert not affiliated with the Swiss review, said the burden of malaria in very young children is "relatively low" compared to older kids. Live Events But access to such medicines is important to all, he said. "There is no doubt that any child of whichever age - and particularly very, very young ones or very light-weighted ones - require a treatment," said Bassat, the director- general of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, known as ISGlobal. Up to now, antimalarial drugs designed for older children have been administered to small infants in careful ways to avoid overdose or toxicity, in what Bassat called a "suboptimal solution" that the newly designed medicine could help rectify. "This is a drug which we know is safe, we know works well, and therefore it will just be available as a new version for a specific age group," he said. Ruairidh Villar, a Novartis spokesperson, said that eight African countries took part in the assessment and are expected to approve the medicine within 90 days. The company said that it's planning on a rollout on a "largely not-for-profit basis" in countries where malaria is endemic. Dr. Bhargavi Rao, co-director of the Malaria Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, noted that malaria cases continue to rise - especially in crisis-hit countries - despite new vaccines and programs targeting the mosquitoes that spread the parasite. She said access strategies for the new medicine must include a look at where needs are greatest, and urged clarity on pricing. "We need transparency around what Novartis' 'largely not for profit' statement means including publicly available pricing, which countries will benefit and how long for," she wrote in an email. Still, she said it was "significant to finally have a suitable and safe treatment for very young children - more than 20 years since WHO first pre-qualified Coartem for older age groups. She noted the announcement comes as resistance to antimalarials has been growing and many traditional donor countries have been sharply cutting outlays for global health - including for malaria programming and research. The mosquito-borne illness is the deadliest disease in Africa, whose 1.5 billion people accounted for 95% of an estimated 597,000 malaria deaths worldwide in 2023, according to WHO. More than three-quarters of those deaths were among children.
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Indian Express
First-ever malaria treatment for babies approved, rollout expected in Africa soon
In a major milestone, Swiss authorities have approved Coartem Baby, the first-ever malaria treatment specifically designed for babies and very young children. Developed by pharmaceutical company Novartis, the new formulation is reportedly set to be rolled out in African nations within weeks, particularly in countries with the highest malaria burden. Until now, no malaria treatments had been officially approved for infants weighing less than 4.5 kg. Instead, babies were given formulations designed for older children, which carried the risk of overdose due to differences in how infants' bodies process medicine. According to data from 2023, cited by the BBC, malaria was responsible for approximately 597,000 deaths, with the overwhelming majority occurring in Africa. Nearly 75 per cent of these deaths were children under the age of five. Despite existing treatments for older children, this newly approved formulation is the first to address the youngest and most vulnerable patients. Experts have long warned of a 'treatment gap' due to the lack of safe, approved options for infants. This gap is now expected to be addressed with the launch of Coartem Baby, also known as Riamet Baby in some countries. The treatment was developed by Novartis in collaboration with the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), a Swiss-based non-profit supported by the governments of Britain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the World Bank, and the Rockefeller Foundation. The formulation is designed to dissolve easily, including in breast milk, and according to a Reuters report, has a sweet cherry flavour to ease administration. Eight African countries—Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda—participated in the assessment and clinical trials of Coartem Baby. These countries are expected to be the first to approve and adopt the treatment. Novartis plans to distribute the drug on a largely not-for-profit basis. CEO Vas Narasimhan described the approval as a pivotal moment in the global fight against malaria. 'For more than three decades, we have stayed the course in the fight against malaria, working relentlessly to deliver scientific breakthroughs where they are needed most. Together with our partners, we are proud to have gone further to develop the first clinically proven malaria treatment for newborns and young babies, ensuring even the smallest and most vulnerable can finally receive the care they deserve,' the BBC quoted him as saying. The BBC report also quoted MMV CEO Martin Fitchet who said, 'Malaria is one of the world's deadliest diseases, particularly among children. But with the right resources and focus, it can be eliminated. The approval of Coartem Baby provides a necessary medicine with an optimised dose to treat an otherwise neglected group of patients and offers a valuable addition to the antimalarial toolbox.' Novartis originally launched Coartem in 1999. The new formulation represents a crucial step in making malaria treatment more accessible to an often-overlooked population—infants at the highest risk of severe disease and death.
United News of India
16 hours ago
- United News of India
First Malaria drug for children and infants gets approval
Bern, July 8 (UNI) Drug manufacturer Novartis has received approval from Swiss authorities for its new Malaria drug named Coartem. Coartem is the world's first ever Malaria medication suitable for the use on newborn children and infants. The development of the drug is very significant as overwhelming majority of the malaria related deaths are in the under five age group. Following this development, production and distribution of the drug is expected to start in the next few weeks in Africa. Most of the Malaria related deaths are recorded in the African continent. Malaria accounted for more than half a million deaths in the world in 2023. Uptill now babies were treated with an experimental dosage of the drug meant for older children, putting them at several risks including overdose and more. UNI XC RKM AAB
