Malaria is the drug against relapses

A new drug has been approved in the United States to treat recurrent malaria. This is the first time in 60 years that a drug of this type is being launched by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is called Krintafel (tafenoquina) and can fight the recurrences of this disease that affects 8.5 million people a year. Malaria is a very difficult condition to treat because it stays dormant in the liver for years before activating and manifesting symptoms.

#malaria attacks an illness that causes 8.5 million infections per year. pic.twitter.com/LZ2KwN6lXq

– GSK (@GSK) July 21, 2018

"The approval of Krintafel, the first new treatment against Plasmodium vivax malaria for more than 60 years old, this is a very important step for people living with this type of recurrent malaria.With our partner Medicines for Malaria Venture, we think that Krintafel will be an important drug and will contribute to the stress of 39, eradication of this disease, " Hal Barron President of the research and development of the British pharmaceutical multinational GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), who developed the drug.

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Recurrent malaria is the most common form of this disease outside of sub-Saharan Africa.Children are particularly at risk. ir as reservoirs of the disease, because if the parasite wakes up and the infected person is bitten by a mosquito, she can pbad it on to someone else. This makes it difficult to eliminate the disease all over the world.

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The drug is able to eliminate the parasite from its liver hiding place so that people already affected can recover on their feet. There is already a drug, primachine, which can treat malaria that is hidden in the liver. But unlike the single dose of tafenoquine required, primachin often has to be taken for 14 days. But many people stop taking the drug after a few days because they feel better, but this allows the parasite to wake up later.

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Now, after the FDA's approval of Krintafel, the next step will be the evaluation of the drug by the authorities in countries where this form of malaria puts many lives in danger. Today 21 countries close to the elimination of malaria by 2020 but on this global disease, we are not at all in the prospect of achieving the goals. 2020, or 40% of mortality and incidence less than in 2015.

According to official estimates, the world's malaria cases in 2016 were 216 million 211 million in 2015. They have fallen sharply since they were 237 million in 2010. 90% of cases are manifested in the African Region. In the 91 countries where malaria is endemic, 80% of cases involve 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa plus India . The incidence decreased on average by about 18% between 2010 and 2016, with peaks of 48% in the region of Southeast Asia . But between 2014 and 2016, the impact in many parts of WHO has returned to growth. The parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the most severe form of malaria transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito, is also the most widespread (99% of cases) in sub-Saharan Africa but out of Africa c & # 39; is especially Vivax which predominates. in the Americas (64%) and in South-East Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean (30% and 40%)

According to the WHO report, global mortality in 2016 is estimated at 445,000, compared to 446,000 the previous year, 91% in Africa. Here too, 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and India account for 80% of deaths from malaria. Mortality figures in Southeast Asia have improved since 2010 (-44%) in Africa (-37%) and the Americas (-27%).