Supported by Pfizer and running for five years at a cost of about US$ 15 million, the projects in Senegal, Ghana ,Kenya and most lately, Zambia are searching for answers that will benefit millions of people. At these centres international expertise from Pfizer is combined with the efforts of skilled local health experts to develop and implement programmes designed to combat and manage the spread of malaria in high-risk areas.
Explains Nathaniel Ramuthaga, Director Clinical Research at Pfizer, South Africa: “ The interventions are part of a commitment by Pfizer to identify new drug regimes and treatments that will hopefully act effectively with local programmes to reduce the incidence of malaria and the deaths that result from the disease that has been estimated to cost Africa more than US $12 billion each year in lost gross domestic product (GDP).”
We are committed, as part of our involvement to Africa, to playing a part in practical interventions that can have a marked, positive impact on the quality of life of Africa and her people. Pfizer recognises the commercial prospects for this are limited, but intends to make medicines available to those in need in the developing world, using models developed for other Pfizer access programmes.”
“The countries chosen for trials and Pfizer partnerships were selected on the basis of the prevalence of the disease, the fact that it occurs continuously throughout the year, in comparison to countries like South Africa where Malaria occurs only seasonally. Additional factors such as the resistance of some of the population to the disease after they had been infected once were added incentives.
In Zambia the Pfizer treatment centre is an integral part of the Tropical Disease Centre in Ndola, which is headed by Dr Modest Mulenga. Involvement in Zambia began in 2004 with a clinical trial and grew to the point where Pfizer is currently training staff in general care and prevention protocols. “A technologist specialising in the study of molecular markers of drug resistance will also be sent to Mali to help develop Zambian capacity in the fight against the disease,” Dr Mulenga said.
The Centre in Ndola drew patients from a wide catchment area of peripheral clinics run by the Ndola District Health management Team, Dr Mulenga said. Patients were admitted to trial wards, while others, suffering complicated infections were admitted to the Ndola Central Hospital-part of the complex and a facility some distance away.
The disease is infectious and consumes the red blood cells of its host, leading to fever, anemia, and in severe cases, a coma potentially leading to death. “Malaria impacts on about 300 out of every 1 000 Zambians. Children most often succumb to the disease. They account for about 40% of our admissions. About 30% of deaths are due to malaria and most occur between November and May, which are locally regarded as the highest transmission seasons. Most patients are drawn from peri-urban areas with many coming from informal settlement areas.”
“Of concern is the fact that pregnant women tend to have lower immunity and are vulnerable to severe forms of malaria to the detriment of themselves and their unborn children,” Dr Mulenga said.
Although some adults developed a semi-immunity to the disease, they were still susceptible to infection but contracted the disease in a milder form.
“The results of our trials with Pfizer to date are encouraging. For example, it was generally believed that chloroquine is no longer efficacious in Zambia, but our trials have shown that chloroquine with azithromycin® has a role to play in treatment.”
The results in Zambia tended to support data gathered by Pfizer, Ramuthaga said. “The combination has been shown to be three times more effective than chloroquine alone. Based on this encouraging data, Pfizer plans to conduct much larger, Phase III clinical trials, worldwide.”
“We look forward to our continued relationship with Pfizer which promises future benefits for Zambians of all ages,” Dr Mulenga concluded.
