Africa sees renewed hope in malaria fight

Studies show drug developed in China more effective, easier to administer

The prevention and control of malaria in Africa is set to get a major boost from a new drug that is not only more effective, but also easier to administer than previous medicines, with the number of deaths attributed to the infectious disease expected to fall sharply as a result.

In case studies conducted in Kenya, second-generation artesunate for injection, developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Fosun Pharma, has proved highly effective in treating severe malaria in children, Kenyan health experts said.

In addition, the new drug — produced under the brand name Argesun — can be easier and faster to prepare, and safer to inject, than its predecessor, which is produced under the name Artesun, and has been widely used in dozens of countries for more than 10 years.

Unlike Artesun, which requires a two-step reconstitution before use, Argesun only requires a one-step dilution before injection, which makes it more user-friendly for doctors and nurses and improves its accessibility, said Walter Otieno, a pediatrician and researcher with the Kenya Medical Research Institute.

"We think that this is a very good development. It is really going to cut our rate of deaths and also the complications caused by malaria," Otieno said.

In Kenya, the malaria transmission rate can be as high as 30 to 50 percent during the rainy season in some places near Lake Victoria, he said, adding that children under 5 face the highest risk of malaria in the country.

Through the use of the drug and other methods, including malaria vaccines and mosquito prevention and control, the transmission of malaria in Kenya is likely to be significantly reduced, Otieno said.

Argesun was pre-qualified by the World Health Organization in June and has been registered in 18 African countries, according to Fosun Pharma.

Both Artesun and Argesun are innovative antimalarial drugs based on artemisinin, which was discovered by Nobel laureate Tu Youyou in the 1970s, and which has made significant contributions to global malaria control and prevention during the past two decades.

Wu Yifang, chairman of Fosun Pharma, said the company recognized the strategic value of antimalarial drugs based on artemisinin and restructured its subsidiary Guilin Pharmaceutical in 2004, to start introducing the drugs to the global market. Its first antimalarial drug entered Africa in 2007, and the company launched a training program for frontline medical workers in Africa in 2014.

"Through continuous innovation, Fosun Pharma has become a global leader in antimalarial drugs and one of the most influential Chinese brands in Africa," he said.

Malaria is prevalent in many African countries, and around 95 percent of all new malaria cases globally were reported in Africa, resulting in more than 600,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

Increasing accessibility

"To win the battle against malaria, we have to eliminate it globally," Wu said, adding that the company is pushing to transform its antimalarial drugs from "made in China and used in Africa" to "made in Africa and used in Africa", in order to increase the drugs' accessibility and affordability there.

Last year, Fosun Pharma started building a pharmaceutical production facility and distribution hub in Cote d'Ivoire, which will produce antimalarial drugs and antibacterial medicines.

On Oct 12, Fosun Pharma held a seminar on the management of malaria with the Department of Health in Kisumu, Kenya.

During the seminar, Kibor Keitany, head of the Kenya National Malaria Control Program at the Ministry of Health, emphasized Kenya's commitment to further expanding the use of injectable artesunate, alongside WHO-approved vaccines, to reduce malaria-related deaths among at-risk groups.

"The new generation of injectable artesunate is an important addition to existing interventions," Keitany said.

Robert Opoka, from Kenya's Aga Khan University Medical College, said the new drug's ease of use will make it more convenient for health workers.

Xinhua contributed to this story.