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New drug stops malaria as Mortein unveils innovative variant

By Femi Adekoya
23 July 2015   |   1:18 am
A new drug acts as a roadblock for malaria, curing mice of established infection, according to a study in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.
PHOTO: thedoctorstv.com

PHOTO: thedoctorstv.com

A new drug acts as a roadblock for malaria, curing mice of established infection, according to a study in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.

Treatment was not associated with obvious side effects, suggesting that the drug may also be safe and effective in humans. Nearly 200 million cases of malaria occur worldwide each year, and roughly 500,000 people (mostly African children) die of the disease.

Malaria is caused by infection with the parasite Plasmodium falciparum (Pf), and although the disease can be treated with anti-malarial drugs, the drugs are harsh and resistance often develops.

In 2011, a group of scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the UK discovered that a human protein called basigin was required for all strains of Pf to invade red blood cells, an essential stage of the parasite’s life cycle.

Antibodies that block the interaction between basigin and the parasite protein PfRH5 were known to block Pf infection in culture, and the Sanger Institute group has now developed a nontoxic anti-basigin drug (called Ab-1) that cured mice of established blood infection.

The transition of promising new drugs from mice to humans usually requires costly and time-consuming clinical trials, but the path for Ab-1 may be less arduous. Basigin has also been implicated in the progression of certain cancers and in graft-versus-host disease in transplant patients, and drugs that block the protein have already proven safe and effective in patients and are already in clinical use.

Meanwhile, as part of measures to tackle malaria scourge in Nigeria, Mortein, a brand under RB Nigeria Limited, has unveiled innovative solutions to such end by re-launching Mortein Liquid Electric Device (LEDs). A statement from the firm quoted the Marketing Director, RB West Africa, Oguzhan Silivrili who represented by the Brand Manager, Mortein, Iku Ejiroghene, has saying that the re-launch of the Mortein LEDs was informed by the need to provide convenient ways to stem the prevalence of malaria scourge in the country and Africa generally.

According to him, there are estimated 300 million acute cases of malaria every year around the world, resulting in more than one million deaths while approximately 90 percent of these deaths occur in Africa, mostly in young children. Silivrili decried the high malaria prevalence in Nigeria as ‘‘unacceptable’’, saying ‘‘malaria is responsible for 60 percent of outpatient visits to health facilities, 30 percent of childhood deaths, 25 percent of deaths in children under one year and 11 percent of maternal deaths.’’ “Malaria can be eliminated in Nigeria which is the reason RB Nigeria Limited is taking the lead.

We have made strategic partnership with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), the lead agency of the Federal Ministry of Health on the elimination of malaria and other relevant government bodies.

Through these partnerships, we have reached over one Million mums by engaging, sensitizing and educating them through our Primary Health Centre programs” Silivrili said.

While further buttressing RB Nigeria’s effort to ensure that malaria is eliminated in Nigeria, Silivrili stated: “Mortein step ahead of others when we launched the Mortein Anti-malaria campaign in 2012 with the aim of increasing the awareness that even one mosquito can cause malaria but with appropriate measures, malaria can be prevented and we can protect ourselves through Mortein that kills 100% mosquitoes.

Therefore, Mortein LEDs is another platform to provide easier ways for Nigerians enjoy continuous protection from Mosquitoes- the causative agents of Malaria” Major distributor of RB Nigeria products and Manager, Everyday Group of Companies, William Onyejele stated “We have been a part of the RB Nigeria family for years now because we see and support the innovative value of their products.

The market is ready to accept this new Mortein LEDs and we are rest assured that with Mortein LEDs we can win the fight against Mosquitoes” Speaking on the re-launch of Mortein LEDs, Area Sales Manager, Mortein, Chris Nwanah said: “ RB Nigeria is concerned about the consumers, this is the reason we make innovative products to meet their needs. Mortein LEDs is one of such innovations to repel mosquito. There are some customers who do not have the luxury of time to spray Aerosols; this Mortein LEDs would however keep them continuously protected. The retailers are excited about the re-launch of Mortein LEDs and have started requesting for the products so they can sell”.

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