African school children

Novartis – Partners in the fight against malaria

The story of Coartem^® and its success in treating malaria is one of unique partnerships…

Novartis is committed to providing up to 100 million Coartem^® treatments each year, and to continuing to improve access to Coartem^® to vulnerable groups – as a dedicated partner in the fight against malaria.⁹

This brochure explains the remarkable journey of Coartem^® from early development steps in China to the delivery of a curative treatment to some of the world’s poorest communities – and an on-going commitment to serving those most vulnerable to malaria: infants and children.

Pioneering

Coartem^® is a fixed-dose combination of artemether and lumefantrine. Artemether-lumefantrine (Novartis) is the first fixed-dose ACT (artemisinin-based combination therapy) prequalified by WHO¹ , and Coartem^® is the first ACT to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Coartem^® Dispersible, a sweet-tasting, dispersible tablet that is easy for caregivers to prepare and easy for sick children to take² - the first dispersible artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) developed for children with uncomplicated P.falciparum malaria.

Health Impact

Achieves cure rates* of over 95% in randomised, controlled trials conducted in malaria-endemic areas^2-5.
Shows favourable safety and tolerability profile^2-7.
Coartem^® used first-line, together with preventative measures, results in dramatic reductions in malaria-related deaths.^8,9
A trial comparing Coartem^® Dispersible with crushed Coartem^® tablets in African children showed Coartem^® Dispersible has a similar safety and efficacy profile to crushed Coartem^® tablets². Day 42 polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-corrected cure rates in the modified intention-to-treat populations were 96% and 96.9% for Coartem^® Dispersible and crushed Coartem^® tablets respectively².

Scale-up

Demand for Coartem^® required scale-up of production at a speed unprecedented in the pharmaceutical industry.
Since 2001, Novartis has delivered more than 280 million Coartem^® treatments, 70% of which were for children.
Coartem^® reaches more patients than any other Novartis product¹⁰.

Training

Novartis has developed educational materials and training courses for healthcare workers and the communities they serve.

Best Practice

Novartis brings together the managers of national malaria control programmes across Africa to share best practice in community awareness, healthcare worker training, stock management and distribution, and health impact measurement.

*28-day PCR-corrected in the evaluable or modified ITT populations

“Since 2001, Novartis has supplied more than 280 million treatments of its breakthrough malaria drug Coartem^® to developing countries, without profit. Addressing the health problems of the developing world is complex and challenging. No single player can be successful. To make a meaningful and sustainable impact for patients in the developing world, governments, international institutions, industry, and civil society must join forces.”
Dr. Daniel Vasella,
Chairman and CEO, Novartis AG