Zydus Cadila goes for collaboration for anti-malaria drug

Drug firm Zydus Cadila will collaborate with Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) to develop a potential anti-malaria drug.

"Zydus Cadila and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) announced a collaboration to develop the investigational anti-malarial compound, MMV674253. Zydus will lead the development of the novel compound and MMV will provide support, including scientific expertise and access to tools in malaria drug development and delivery," Zydus Cadila's listed group firm Cadila Healthcare said in a BSE filing.

The aim of the collaboration is to "provide an effective alternative to the current front-line anti-malarial drugs for treatment of uncomplicated P falciparum malaria and artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), which are under threat of resistance".

"Malaria is a major global health risk and its menace has only worsened with the problem of artemisinin-resistance. By collaborating with Medicines for Malaria Venture in this initiative, we hope to usher in a step change in the treatment of this deadly disease," Zydus CMD Pankaj R Patel said.

This molecule has a "novel mechanism" of action that rapidly kills parasites across all intra-erythrocytic stages and has a long half-life.

On the collaboration, MMV Chief Scientific Officer Timothy Wells said: "Given the imminent threat of resistance, this novel compound... could be one of the critical alternatives to current therapies the world urgently needs if we are to ultimately defeat malaria."

Shares of Cadila Healthcare were trading at Rs 386.15 in the morning trade on BSE, up 0.14% from the previous close.