Coartem Baby

Coartem Baby Latest News

In a major milestone, Swiss authorities have approved Coartem Baby, the first-ever malaria treatment specifically designed for babies and very young children.

About Coartem Baby

• It is a new drug specifically designed for infants weighing 2–5 kg (newborns to under 6 months) which has formulation of artemether and lumefantrine — that work together to fight the malaria parasite. 
• It is developed by Novartis, in collaboration with Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) and the governments of Britain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the World Bank, and the Rockefeller Foundation.
• Previously, infants have used formulations meant for older children, increasing the risk of overdose.
• Eight African countries—Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda—participated in the assessment and clinical trials of Coartem Baby. 
• Advantages of Coartem Baby: The formulation is designed to dissolve easily, including in breast milk, has a sweet cherry flavour to ease administration.

Key Facts about Malaria

• It is a life-threatening febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites, transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
• The disease is not contagious, but can be spread through infected blood or contaminated needles.
• The most dangerous species are Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax.

Symptoms and Risks

• Symptoms appear 10–15 days after infection and include fever, chills, and headache
• Severe symptoms can include seizures, difficulty breathing, jaundice, dark urine, and death if untreated.
• Partial immunity can develop in endemic regions, making diagnosis difficult in some patients.

Source: IE

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