HEALTH NEWS (UGNEWSLINE) – Rwanda has launched Africa’s first Phase 1b clinical trial of a long-acting injectable drug designed to prevent malaria, marking a major step towards developing new tools to fight the disease.
The trial, launched by Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) in partnership with Rinda Ubuzima, a Rwandan health research organisation, will assess the safety and potential effectiveness of a compound known as MMV371.
The injectable has the potential to provide protection against malaria for approximately three months, with researchers hoping that a single injection could eventually offer protection throughout an entire malaria season.
The study will evaluate the safety and tolerability of MMV371 among healthy adults and adolescents in Rwanda, examine its potential effectiveness and establish how the body absorbs and processes the drug.
The trial follows earlier clinical research conducted in the United Kingdom, which found that MMV371 was well tolerated in healthy adults and showed potential to provide protection for about three months.
According to the World Health Organisation, malaria caused more than 280 million cases and over 600,000 deaths worldwide in 2024, with Africa accounting for 95 per cent of the deaths.
The continued emergence of resistance to antimalarial drugs, changing weather patterns linked to climate change and weaknesses in health systems have increased the need for new approaches to malaria prevention and treatment.
MMV Chief Executive Officer Dr Martin Fitchet said developing new prevention technologies alongside expanding access to existing interventions would be critical to eliminating malaria.
He said long-acting injectables could transform malaria prevention by providing sustained protection through a single administration and expanding the options available to communities at risk.
Rinda Ubuzima Executive Director Marie Michele Umulisa said conducting the study in Rwanda demonstrates the growing role of African researchers and institutions in developing innovative health solutions.
She said the partnership would not only contribute to research that could shape the future of malaria prevention but also strengthen locally led scientific innovation.
If proven safe and effective, long-acting injectables could complement existing malaria prevention measures, including mosquito control, vaccines and preventive medicines.
