Last Updated: 13/11/2025

Novel Treatment for Severe Malaria – KAE609

Objectives

The main aim of this project is to explore KAE609 as a novel antimalarial against severe malaria.

If successful in all stages of development, Novartis intends:

To bring KAE609 to market for the treatment of severe malaria
To apply a tiered pricing strategy aiming to make the product available at affordable prices to patients of various socio-economic backgrounds.
To work with leading public health organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), and other partners to enable the adoption of the new treatment option.
To enter into distribution agreements with procurement agencies such as the Global Fund and the President’s Malaria Initiative and distributors in order to reach patients via public sector, donor-funded private sector, and private sector channels.

Principal Institution

Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Switzerland

Principal Investigators / Focal Persons

Caroline Boulton

Rationale and Abstract

KAE609 is a novel antimalarial development program led by Novartis. It was discovered through a joint research program with the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Novartis Natural Products Research Group, the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute. Research was supported by the Wellcome Trust, the Singapore Economic Development Board, and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV). Novartis is leading the development of KAE609 in collaboration with MMV and with financial support from the Wellcome Trust.

Study Design

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04675931