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Anna Wang, Vice-President for Public Affairs

Medicines for Malaria Venture

(41) 79 204 2875

Sandiso Shabalala and Nazli Jugbaran

APCO Africa

+27 (0) 83561 8157,

+27 (0) 72444 1654,

The Medicines for Malaria Venturestakeholder meeting in Zambiadiscussaccess and delivery of new anti-malarials in preparation of drugs coming out of this pipeline

LIVINGSTONE, ZAMBIA– MAY 6 & 7, 2006–Over the weekend, the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) is convening a stakeholders meetingto reviewthe development progress of its antimalarial drug portfolio and discuss challenges faced by the MMV and its partners inthe scaling up of access and delivery of new drugs against malaria. With as many as 4 new drugs coming out of its pipeline within the next two to three years, MMV transits from research-based organisations to one that will increasingly focus on ensuring that these live-saving drugs reach the population most at risk of this disease.

Malaria kills more than one million people each year with the vast majority of the victims being young children and pregnant women. In sub-Saharan Africa, it is the biggest killer disease of children. Nearly 40% of the global population, mostly those living in the world’s poorest regions, is at risk of the disease. It is one of the major impediments of economic development in Africa. However, malaria, spread by mosquitoes, is also a preventable and curable disease.

“Resistance to the existing widely used drugs such as chloroquine has rendered these cheap and widely used drugs useless in many parts of the world; new effective and affordable drugs are urgently needed,” said Dr. Chris Hentschel, President and CEO of MMV.“We may have two new drugs available by the end of next year. It is urgent for us to plan the launch of these new drugs and ensure that they reach those most in need. We must mobilise all necessary talents and resources because winning the battle against malaria is within our reach.”

“In addition to saving live, the social and economic benefits delivered by malaria interventions such as increased productivity in poor countries make it incredibly cost-effective. Combating malaria with antimalarial treatments must be viewed not only as a right to good health, but as a basic human right”, says Mary Robinson, Executive Director, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative. “MMV has the surpassed expectations in building an antimalarial drug pipeline, now it must work with its partners to ensure that these drugs reach the poorest. We must ultimately deliver a health impact critical to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.”

Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland also announced a €9 million grant to the MMV by the Irish government. The award, spanning three years, makesIreland MMV’s second largest bilateral donor.
At the meeting, MMV announced the winner of its “Project of the Year”award for 2005. The antimalarial fixed-dose combination drug, pyronaridine-artesunate, a project with Shin Poong Pharm from Korea, was chosen for its outstanding progress through clinical development. This next-generation artemisinin-combination therapy (ACT), soon to progress to Phase III clinical trials, could become a major weapon against drug-resistant malaria.
Participants at the annual stakeholders meeting include industry partners, donors, NGOs, public and private drug access partners such as the World Health Organisation, Global Fund for Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, World Bank and a number of specialists from malaria endemic countries.

The MMV stakeholders meeting follows the formation of the Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance (MCTA), announced on Africa Malaria Day on April 25,which includes the MMV and PATH’sMalaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI), aiming to accelerate the research and development of vaccines and new and improved drugs targeting malaria.

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Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV)

Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to reducing the burden of malaria in disease-endemic countries by discovering, developing and delivering new affordable anti-malarial drugs through effective public-private partnership. After five years of operation, MMV is managing the largest-ever portfolio of malaria drug research with more than 20 projects in different stages of drug research and development. MMV’s goal is to register at least one new antimalarial before 2010 and maintain a sustainable pipeline of antimalarials to meet the needs of the 2.4 billion people at risk of this deadly disease

MMV is among the first public-private partnerships established to tackle a major global disease. The initiative arose from discussions between the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the representative body of the pharmaceutical industry, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (IFPMA). For further information please consult