Researchers at the University of Dundee have developed cabamiquine, a new single-dose malaria drug that proved effective in early clinical trials.
Early clinical testing showed that combining cabamiquine with the antimalarial drug pyronaridine delivered a favorable safety profile and strong efficacy in adults and adolescents. The findings, published in the medical journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases, open the door to further research into combination therapies for children.
Malaria remains a major global health threat. An estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths were recorded worldwide in 2024. The disease is caused by parasites transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, primarily affecting tropical and subtropical regions.
Promising clinical trial results
Described as a new molecule with drug-like properties, cabamiquine has the potential to simplify dosage regimens for both malaria prevention and treatment. Conventional antimalarial treatments often require patients to adhere to multi-day pill schedules, which can lead to incomplete dosing and treatment failure.
Dr Beatrice Baragana, a member of the University of Dundee discovery team, said the compound represented a significant step forward with great potential to simplify dosing schedules for a disease that causes hundreds of thousands of deaths every year.
The study was conducted by global pharmaceutical company Merck as part of the PAMAfrica consortium. Funding for the trial was provided jointly by the EDCTP2 program, with financial support from the European Union and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
Global battle against malaria
The development of cabamiquine comes alongside other major international efforts to combat the disease. In 2021, the World Health Organization approved the world's first malaria vaccine for widespread use in children, marking a historical milestone in preventative medicine.
Private initiatives have also targeted vector control to reduce transmission. Microsoft founder Bill Gates is investing $3 billion into a project designed to produce genetically modified killer mosquitoes that eliminate one another during breeding, curbing mosquito populations in affected areas.
Following the successful early trial results reported by The Independent, researchers plan to advance cabamiquine into further clinical studies to evaluate combination treatments, with the ultimate goal of developing single-dose therapies suitable for pediatric populations.
