New Drug GanLum Demonstrates High Efficacy Against Malaria in Clinical Trials

Malaria treatments have historically faced challenges due to the parasite's development of drug resistance. Artemisinin-based drugs, derived from sweet wormwood, were introduced at the turn of the millennium when previous treatments from the 1970s began losing efficacy. These drugs have been foundational in global malaria care since then. However, signs of resistance to artemisinin have emerged, initially in Southeast Asia and more recently spreading to Africa, where malaria incidence is high.
A new drug combination, GanLum, composed of ganaplacide and lumefantrine, has completed clinical trials. Ganaplacide, identified by Novartis scientists, operates by disrupting the malaria parasite's ability to survive within human red blood cells. Laboratory testing indicates that Ganaplacide is effective against all known forms of the parasite, including those with mutations associated with artemisinin resistance, and also targets the parasite stage responsible for transmission.
Clinical trials for GanLum were conducted across 12 African countries, involving over 16,000 adults and children aged two years and older diagnosed with malaria. Participants were divided into two groups: one received GanLum over three days, and the other received the current artemisinin-based standard of care. The results, presented at the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in Toronto, showed GanLum achieved over 97% efficacy in treating malaria, which was comparable to the established standard treatment. Both drug regimens exhibited similar side effect profiles, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Regulatory approval processes for GanLum are anticipated to take approximately 18 months. If approved, GanLum would become an additional tool in combating malaria, a disease that accounts for an estimated half a million deaths annually. The drug's availability could offer an alternative treatment option in regions where artemisinin resistance is a concern, potentially extending the effectiveness of both new and existing antimalarial therapies.