Unitaid Awards Medincell up to $6 million Extension Grant to Fight Malaria

Regulatory News:

Global health agency Unitaid has awarded Medincell (Paris:MEDCL) an extension grant of up to US$ 6 million over three years to fund the clinical phase 1 activities of long-acting injectable mdc-STM. If proven safe, effective, and acceptable, mdc-STM could have a significant impact on transmission of malaria among vulnerable populations in high-transmission areas.

mdc-STM is an investigational three-month active injectable formulation of ivermectin using Medincell’s BEPO technology to fight malaria transmission. A previous grant of $6.4 million was awarded in March 2020 by Unitaid to fund the formulation research phase and preclinical activities of the program conducted by Medincell and the project consortium members, IRD, IRSS and CIRDES.

Medincell is committed to the fight against the major global health threats, such as malaria that remains endemic in 85 countries representing 50% of the world's population. According to WHO estimates, 249 million people were infected worldwide in 2022, 94% of them in Africa, leading to 580,000 deaths in the area.

Quiterie de Beauregard, Head of Global Health Development at Medincell, said: “The 2023 WHO’s World Malaria Report highlights the significant discrepancies between the objectives outlined in the Global Technical Strategy and the status of malaria indicators. This gap is particularly pronounced in the countries initially identified as high burden, which have seen little to no change in both malaria incidence and mortality rates. In 2022, these nations represented 67% of global cases and 73% of deaths. The report emphasizes the urgent need for additional tools to curb malaria transmission. Ivermectin emerges as a highly promising solution; however, logistical challenges associated with its oral administration may hinder its potential to make a significant epidemiological impact on malaria. At Medincell, bolstered by the support of the IVERMEN community and renewed confidence from Unitaid, we are firmly convinced that a long-acting injectable formulation could overcome these obstacles.”

Christophe Douat, Medincell’s CEO, added: "We are delighted that our long-acting injectable technology, which has reached the commercial stage following the approval of our first treatment by the US FDA, can address major global health challenges. The renewed support from Unitaid is crucial for advancing this project. It enables us to leverage our internal regulatory development expertise and continue our collaboration with consortium members IRD, IRSS, and CIRDES to conduct further studies. Our 3-month active ivermectin, if proven safe and effective, has the potential to significantly impact populations suffering from malaria."