Ranbaxy, MMV make anti-malarial breakthrough

Ranbaxy Labs and Medicines for Malaria Venture MMV have taken a potential breakthrough anti-malarial drug into human clinical trial stage. Ranbaxy, MMV8217;s pharmaceutical partner for the development of this drug, has obtained authorisation from Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency MHPRA to conduct clinical trials in the UK. This is the first regulatory step in new drug development after safety and drug activity is established in the pre-clinical phase. The drug 8212; codenamed OZ277/RBx11160 8212; is currently being evaluated in a Phase I study for its safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics in humans in UK. The drug is believed to have similar mode-of-action as the currently available drug artemisinin.