Description
Introduction:
Malaria will only be eliminated if all populations at risk get the antimalarial tools they need. Since its creation 25 years ago, Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) has leveraged innovative partnerships to discover, develop and facilitate access to effective and affordable antimalarials for all populations in need. An important pillar of MMV’s recently updated strategic framework is to “close the equity gaps on prevention and treatment options for underserved populations such as… pregnant and lactating women” by shifting to “equity-oriented, gender-responsive approaches.”
Women and girls, particularly during pregnancy, are left behind due to the historical reluctance to include them in biomedical research. People of childbearing potential suffer the largest proportion of new malaria cases after children under age five (FSG Analysis: Data from Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation for 2017,GBD Compare,VizHub (retrieved 11.03.2020);181 million=total incidence of malaria, 2017), but there have been gaps in data on the safety and efficacy in medicines used during pregnancy, resulting in limited therapeutic options for use by this population.
Through its Malaria in Mothers and Babies or MiMBa initiative, MMV has shifted its R&D practices to better meet the needs of people of childbearing potential, in line with state-of-the art scientific, ethical, and medical standards, and with calls by stringent global regulators to protect women through and not from research.
Objectives:
• Highlight the unmet needs of women and girls in the fight against malaria during pregnancy and lactation.
• Describe a new and innovative evidence gathering and research initiative to address these needs.
• Raise awareness of this research gap and explore opportunities for collaboration.
Methodology:
MMV’s MiMBa strategy aims to close the antimalarial data and medicines gap for women and girls. It is designed to accelerate discovery, development, and delivery of appropriate antimalarial options for people who are of reproductive potential, pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Results and Discussion:
As part of the MiMBa strategy, pregnancy registries have been established in malaria-endemic countries in Africa to fill the data gap on antimalarials used during pregnancy. A consortium of researchers located in Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Mali, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Uganda, and the United Kingdom will also carry out a clinical trial to assess the safety of a key antimalarial.
Innovative aspects of this research include:
• The first ever Phase IIIb, adaptive randomised platform trial comparing different antimalarials in the first trimester of pregnancy
• Acceptability and feasibility to assess values and preferences of antimalarials during early pregnancy
• Formative research to engage communities allowing for innovative trial recruitment and retention strategies,
• Cost-effectiveness of different antimalarials
• Adherence to the principles of equitable and sustainable research partnerships.
Conclusion:
This research initiative will provide critical information on the safety and efficacy of antimalarials used for the treatment of malaria in the first trimester. Results will be translated into policy and guidelines and ensure that healthcare providers and pregnant women have access to optimal treatment options for malaria in early pregnancy.
| Contact Geneva Health Forum | I just want to receive information about the GHF 2024 conference / Je souhaite simplement recevoir des informations sur la conférence GHF 2024 |
|---|
