WHO prequalifies Novartis' Coartem Baby, first malaria treatment for newborns, enabling wider access in endemic regions

Novartis' Coartem Baby, the first malaria treatment specifically for newborns and young infants weighing 2 to 5 kg, has received WHO prequalification. This milestone allows for broader public sector procurement and donor funding, improving access for vulnerable infants in malaria-endemic areas. Previously, no approved treatment existed for infants under 4.5 kg, creating a treatment gap. Novartis offers the drug largely not-for-profit, aiming to reduce malaria deaths among the smallest patients, especially in Africa where malaria remains a major health threat.