Australia’s partnership with Medicine for Malaria Venture (MMV) is supporting the research and development of malaria treatment and prevention products. This includes new chemical entities for malaria case management and prevention; new intramuscular chemoprevention candidates to provide coverage longer than three months; and the first-ever malaria relapse prevention candidate free of G6PD (an enzyme that helps red blood cells work correctly) -deficiency liabilities. Clinical development will involve Phase II and III trials for a variety of products, including one for the transmission reduction of P. vivax – the most frequently and widely distributed cause of recurring malaria in our region.
Together, these efforts aim to improve access to malaria treatment and prevention drugs in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, accelerating elimination targets and reducing the burden of disease in high caseload areas of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. With Australia’s support, MMV is increasing access to malaria treatments, advancing GEDSI by prioritising drug compounds for pregnant women and including them in trials. Through continued strategic engagement with affected communities, as well as national and international partners, MMV is building capacity to our region’s malaria response and increasing healthcare resilience.
