Research & Development: Parasitology/pharmacology and drug discovery projects for Medicines for Malaria Venture

Background With more than 200 million current cases worldwide and ca. 500’000 deaths per year mainly children under the age of 5, malaria represents the most important parasitic disease worldwide and one of the major global threat for human health. In spite of impactful interventions via chemotherapy, insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor spraying with insecticides to control the mosquito vector, there is no eradication in sights. With the emergence of resistance to artemisinin drugs currently used in combination therapies, it is a matter of urgency to identify new target for intervention and develop new chemical entities as antimalarial drugs. Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) was funded in 1999. The mission of this organization is to discover, develop, and deliver safe, efficacious, and inexpensive antimalarials in endemic countries such as those in Africa, Asia, and South America. MMV is located in Geneva and to full its mission close to 100 staff members covering a broad range of interdisciplinary skills and competences are working in tight collaboration with more than 300 academic and industrial partners around the world to achieve such a mission. The ultimate objective of MMV in conjunction with many members of the antimalarial community, is to renew the focus on malaria eradication. Yet the immediate challenge is the emergence of artemisinin resistance with its considerable implications for antimalarial therapy. Increased doses of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) may be required in areas of emerging resistance. Combination therapies effective against artemisinin-resistant parasites are needed. These projects are key to make the entire organization evolving towards the agenda of malaria elimination and eradication.

Project details

Product Development

Jan 2020 — Dec 2020

$67,476

Switzerland