MMV - Medicines for Malaria Venture

The fight against malaria is one of humanity's great achievements. According to the WHO, malaria mortality rates fell by 60% in 20 years. New antimalarial drugs – with direct contribution from MMV -developed over the past two decades have saved 2.3 million lives. Malaria is still a massive killer: it takes a child’s life every 2 minutes, and kills an estimated 409,000 people each year and is both a cause and consequence of poverty.

Investments for diseases of poverty such as malaria suffer from severe market failure. Neither affected populations have the economic power to buy treatments nor is there a sufficient commercial market in the countries where these diseases occur. In contrast to the enormous progress made in the previous decade, trends in malaria case numbers and deaths have since plateaued. Due to gaps in funding and the spread of resistance to medicines and insecticides, global malaria elimination goals are at risk of not being achieved by 2030. The global COVID-19 pandemic has worsened this situation significantly, with containment measures hindering both scientific research and implementation of control programmes. Disruptions in global health supply chains and shortages of key medical products have led to deficits in many health systems.

MMV, a Geneva-based Product Development Partnership, is playing an essential role in the discovery, development and delivery of new malaria medicines. In addition to the discovery and development of compounds to address a broad range of needs over the mid-to-long term, MMV has continued to expand its access and product management activities to ensure that high quality therapies are made available and affordable within malaria-endemic countries. MMV area of intervention is complementary with other global health actors: MMV co-developed antimalarial treatments are recommended for use by the WHO and are co-financed and procured by the Global Fund based on endemic countries’ demand.

This new phase of funding focuses on two priorities: a) making sure COVID-19 does not harm malaria control efforts so that these can be pursued; b) develop new generation of anti-malarials in order to address resistance.

Population in malaria affected areas, pregnant women, children under 5.

Countries at different stages on their path to malaria elimination.

1) Enhancing the level of control that can be achieved with current treatment options

2) Developing new tools to support elimination and eradication

3) Bringing forward tools and strategies to prevent resurgence. 

Principaux résultats attendus:  

-        Two new products approved, including medicines that serve the needs of children and other vulnerable patients. Where appropriate, MMV will work with Swissmedic to accelerate endemic country-level approval and WHO prequalification.

-        Submission to WHO prequalification of paediatric primaquine – the first high-quality child-friendly presentation of this medicine since it was first approved over 60 years ago.

-        Expanded roll-out of most recently developed MMV-supported ACT (Pyramax), particularly with a focus on its use to bolster national resistance response strategies.

-        Continued support for three African manufacturers of critically needed chemopreventive treatments, and addition of a fourth company assisted by MMV.

-        Three new molecules entering human volunteer studies.

-        Four to five preclinical candidates designed for the global elimination agenda.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

-        430 million treatments of a child-friendly medicine called Coartem Dispersible for acute, uncomplicated malaria have been delivered.

-        205 million vials of injectable artesunate (pharmaceutical substance) for the treatment of severe malaria have been delivered.

-        536 million monthly treatment courses of sulfadoxine pyrimethamine and amodiaquine have been delivered to prevent illness and death during malaria season.

-        13 malaria medicines developed and launched

-        2.7 million lives have been saved thanks to MMV-supported products.