Coartem®: the journey to the clinic

Artemisinin, from which the artemether component of Coartem®(artemether/lumefantrine, AL) is derived, is obtained from the plant sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua) which has been used for over 2,000 years as a Chinese herbal remedy. Artemisinin was first identified by Chinese researchers as the active anti-malarial constituent of A. annua and its derivatives were found to be the most potent of all anti-malarial drugs. Artemether acts rapidly, reducing the infecting parasite biomass by approximately 10,000-fold per asexual life cycle. Lumefantrine, the other active constituent of AL, acts over a longer period to eliminate the residual 100-100,000 parasites that remain after artemether is cleared from the body and thus minimizes the risk of recrudescence. The two agents have different modes of action and act at different points in the parasite life cycle and show a synergistic action against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. The combination of artemether and lumefantrine reduces the risk of resistance developing to either agent, and to date there are no reports of resistance to AL combined therapy in the malaria parasite that infects humans. Following a unique partnership agreement between Chinese authorities and Novartis, the manufacturer of AL, over 20 sponsored clinical studies have been undertaken in various malaria endemic regions and in travellers. These trials have involved more than 3,500 patients (including over 2,000 children), and led to identification of a six-dose, three-day regimen as the optimal dosing strategy for AL in uncomplicated falciparum malaria. AL has consistently shown 28-day polymerase chain (PCR)-corrected cure rates greater than 95% in the evaluable population, meeting WHO recommendations. More recently, Novartis and the Medicines for Malaria Venture have worked in partnership to develop Coartem® Dispersible, a new formulation designed specifically to meet the specific needs of children with malaria. The dispersible tablets have shown similar high response rates to those observed with crushed standard tablets of AL. A partnership agreement between Novartis and WHO has seen over 250 million AL (Coartem®) treatments (75% for children) being distributed to malaria patients in developing countries without profit, supported by training programmes and educational resources

Síndrome de West: evolução clínica e eletrencefalográfica de 70 pacientes e resposta ao tratamento com hormônio adrenocorticotrófico, prednisona, vigabatrina, nitrazepam e ácido valpróico West syndrome: clinical and eletroencephalographic follow up of 70 patients and response to the adrenocorticotropic hormone, prednisone, vigabatrin, nitrazepam and valproate

Em estudo retrospectivo avaliamos a evolução clínica e eletrencefalográfica das formas criptogênica e sintomática da síndrome de West e analisamos a eficácia do hormônio adrenocorticotrófico, vigabatrina, prednisona, ácido valpróico e nitrazepam no controle dos espasmos. Participaram do estudo 70 pacientes, acompanhados por período maior que 2 anos. Doze (17%) eram criptogênicos e 58 (83%) sintomáticos. O grupo criptogênico apresentou percentagem significativamente maior de pacientes que frequentavam escola regular e desenvolvimento motor normal, melhor controle das crises epilépticas, tendência menor a evoluir para síndrome de Lennox Gastaut e 83,3% tiveram controle completo dos espasmos (72,4% dos pacientes do grupo sintomático obtiveram controle completo dos espasmos). O hormônio adrenocorticotrófico e a vigabatrina foram as drogas mais eficazes, controlando 68,75% e 60% dos espasmos, respectivamente, quando utilizados como droga de primeira escolha e 75% e 50%, respectivamente, como drogas de segunda escolha.<br>In a retrospective study we assessed the outcome of the criptogenic and symptomatic forms of West syndrome and evaluated the efficacy of adrenocorticotropic hormone, vigabatrin, prednisone, valproate and nitrazepam in the spasms control. Seventy patients were follwed up by 2 years. Twelve (17%) were criptogenics and 58 (83%) symptomatics. In criptogenic group significantly more patients were in regular school classes and with normal motor development, better control of seizure, less tendency to evoluate to Lennox Gastaut syndrome and 83.3% had control of spasms (72.4% of patients from symptomatic group had control of spasms). Adrenocorticotropic hormone and vigabatrin were the most efective drugs, with 68.75% and 60% of spasms control, respectivelly, when used as first line of therapy and 75% and 50%, respectivelly, as second line of therapy