Novartis Extends Malaria Partnership to Develop New Drug Candidate

Novartis has announced that is to further expand its partnership with Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV). The drugmaker will lead the development of antimalarial compound KAF156 -- one of the first antimalarial drug candidates to enter Phase IIb clinical development in more than 20 years -- with scientific and financial support from MMV in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

KAF156 acts against the two parasites responsible for the majority of malaria deaths (Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax) and against both the blood and liver stages of the parasite’s lifecycle.