The First Malaria Treatment for Babies Gains Acceptance
A soluble malaria-curing drug created especially for infants was developed by Novartis and will soon be available in parts of Africa. The innovative drugmaker company Novartis said on July 7, 2025, “The approval of the first malaria treatment for newborns and young infants could lead to imminent widespread use in Africa.”
The drug, called Coartem Baby or Riamet Baby in several countries, is approved by the Swiss government for use in babies weighing between 2 kilograms and 5 kilograms and is made to be easy for travel. Coartem Baby is already approved in the West African nation of Ghana, and eight other African countries are expected to grant approvals within a period of 90 days.
Vas Narasimhan, the chief executive of Novartis, declares in a news release that Coartem Baby guarantees “even the smallest and most vulnerable can finally receive the care they deserve.” He claims, “For more than three decades, we have stayed the course in the fight against malaria, working relentlessly to deliver scientific breakthroughs where they are needed most.” However, the drug can also expose infants under 4.5 kg to overdose due to being treated with drugs for older children, putting them at risk.
This recent approval marks a major achievement in the fight against one of the world’s deadliest diseases. Malaria is a fatal disease caused by a parasite and is spread to humans through a bite from an infected mosquito, the Anopheles. However, it cannot be transmitted from person to person. People who have this illness feel extremely sick with high fever and chills. Malaria is still common in countries across Asia, Africa, and South America. Mayo Clinic says, “Each year nearly 290 million people are infected with malaria, and more than 400,000 people die of the disease.”
Most cases (94%) in 2023 occurred in Africa and were particularly harmful to young children. Martin Fitchet, CEO of MMV, also praised Coartem Baby. “The approval of Coartem Baby provides a necessary medicine with an optimised dose to treat an otherwise neglected group of patients and offers a valuable addition to the antimalarial toolbox.”
Dr. Marvelle Brown, professor at the University of Hertfordshire’s School of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, noted, “Novartis making this… [drug] can help with reducing inequality in access to healthcare.”
The approval of Coartem Baby marks a breakthrough in pharmaceutical innovation by fighting malaria in infants.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/crmvdrg9p7lo
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/09/health/malaria-drug-babies-africa-intl
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/malaria/symptoms-causes/syc-20351184
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89e872jdjxo