When is enough enough? The need for a robust pipeline of high-quality antimalarials.

摘要: Malaria kills an estimated one million people a year--mostly children under 5. State-of-the-art medicines known as artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) are available, and successfully cure up to 99% of patients. Additionally, insecticide-treated bed nets insecticide spraying helping prevent the disease, while vaccine is in clinical development. With all these tools at hand, you might ask why we need more new medicines. Why not just concentrate on improving distribution existing ones? Whilst access clearly major challenge, there several reasons antimalarials urgently needed--and will continue be needed until have finally defeated parasite. First, emergence drug resistance any infectious disease treatment inevitable. A range with varying mechanisms action stem tide well fill gap when it takes hold. Second, malaria predominantly affecting expectant mothers. These vulnerable patient groups require tailored their needs robust safety profiles. Third, five species malarial parasites that infect humans, two can relapse, currently no safe medicine combat relapse for Finally, order ultimately eradicate malaria, go step beyond simple break transmission parasite from patient.