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 09-Jul-2025

World’s First Malaria Drug

Science & Technology

Why in News? 

Switzerland has approved the world’s first malaria drug specifically for newborns, marking a major breakthrough in the fight against infant malaria. 

Key Details About the Drug 

  • Drug Name: Coartem Dispersible (New Infant Formulation) 
  • Manufacturer: Novartis 
  • Target Group: Newborns and very young children 
  • Approved By: Swiss Regulatory Authorities 
  • Global Need 
    • Over 500,000 deaths due to malaria were reported worldwide in 2023. 
    • A majority of these deaths occurred in children under five, mainly in Africa. 

What is Malaria? 

  • Malaria is an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites. 
  • It is life-threatening but preventable and curable. 
  • Most common in tropical and subtropical regions. 

How it Spreads 

  • Malaria is not contagious (does not spread from person to person). 
  • It spreads through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. 
  • Five species of Plasmodium can infect humans. 
    • Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are the most dangerous. 

Malaria-Free Countries (Certified by WHO since 2015) 

  • Asia: Maldives, Sri Lanka 
  • Europe/Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan 
  • South America: Paraguay, Argentina 
  • Africa: Algeria 
  • Others: China (2021), El Salvador (2021) 

Malaria Vaccines 

  • RTS,S (Mosquirix): First-ever malaria vaccine, approved by WHO in 2021. 
  • R21 (Matrix-M): Second malaria vaccine for prevention.

Preparing Through MCQ 

Q. Which country recently approved the world’s first malaria drug specifically for newborns?

(1) Germany 
(2) India 
(3) Switzerland 
(4) France 

Answer: (3) Switzerland