Pfizer Inc (Pfizer) and Sigma-Tau Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite S.p.A (Sigma-Tau), a privately owned Italian pharmaceutical company, announced today that they have entered into a license and supply agreement under which, following applicable regulatory submissions and approvals, the companies will market Eurartesim®, a novel fixed dose artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), in Africa.
Eurartesim® (dihydroartemisinin + piperaquine), a Phase III product candidate, aims to treat uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in adults and children, while reducing the potential for re-infection. The product candidate, developed jointly by Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) and Sigma-Tau, is expected to be filed for registration with the European Medicines Agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2009. Eurartesim® has already been granted orphan drug status by both the European and U.S. regulatory authorities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that all uncomplicated malaria be treated with ACTs. This policy is designed to reduce drug resistance which has rendered the most widely used monotherapies, such as chloroquine, useless in many parts of the world.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
This is a good development which should help Nigeria's Roll Back Malaria programme. But one question: Will the drug be affordable? Our health officials ought to start planning now so that even if government has to subsidise purchase of the drug by citizens, avenues are created to do so.
The African continent has longed for a drug like this, the challenged posed by malaria in this continent is devastating. I seriously wish that there was a chemical or medicine that can make mosquitoes go extinct. Bravo to you guys.
This is a landmark endeavour on the part of Pfizer, it is obvious that you people have a genuine interest in the health of Africans. The Almighty Allah will continue to help you make progress in your resolve to assist Africa (Nigeria in particular) to achieve good health for its people. Keep up the good work.
As a nutritionist/social health worker, we the Niger Delta people of Nigeria are really appreciative of this drug. I am very glad that it is coming at a time like this, where malaria is killing our people by the day. It is my sincere plea that you people should make this drug affordable as a number of the Niger Delta rural dwellers are mostly poor people.
I don't believe in all this talk about malaria. I prefer to have food on the table than have malaria medicine. If I have a choice I will say you should send my own share as Tuwo or any other kind of food.
Thank you Musa. I agree with you that all this talk about malaria since the time the Nigerian government started the roll back malaria campaign is too much. Look at the treated mosquito nets which were supposed to be given out free to pregnant women. I personally bought one at the open market for one thousand naira. If the new drug will be more effective than the old ones, why not?
Hello all, nice contributions you all have made, you guys have been quite objective in your views.
But wait a minute, has anybody stopped to think about Nigeria's 2009 budget, and what percentage is allocated to the health sector? I am even sure that before that little percentage is implemented, a large number of Nigeria population would have died of malaria.
The Government should please increase the amount earmarked for health, so that the Ministry of health can purchase this type of anti-malaria drug by Pfizer, for its indegent people.
Remember Health is Wealth.
What do you mean by increase the budget for health? From experience, increase in budget has never led to better services. You will only put more money in the pockets of those in charge. I beg make una give me this drug jare.
What does one make of all these sentiments when the federal budget of Nigeria is yet to be passed. At this rate, the percentage of budget implementation may be lower than last year's. And that will spell disaster for Nigerians. Drug or no drug we need a workable budget first.
Post a Comment