AstraZeneca and the Medicines for Malaria Venture have announced a collaboration to identify novel candidate drugs for the treatment of malaria.
Scientists working with MMV will screen 500,000 compounds for activity against Plasmodium falciparum, the most lethal of malaria parasites. Any leads identified will be progressed through AstraZeneca’s R&D facility in Bangalore, India.
MMV is currently managing a portfolio of 60 antimalarial projects in partnership with over 130 pharmaceutical, academic, and endemic-country partners in 44 countries. MMV has also launched its first product, a sweet-tasting, pediatric formulation. Two other artemisinin combination therapies, Eurartesim and Pyramax, have been submitted to the European Medicines Agency for regulatory approval. Seven further potential medicines are in clinical development.
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