Swiss healthcare company Novartis AG (NVS) Friday announced the discovery of a new compound that shows promise as a next generation treatment for drug resistant malaria. The company said the compound could progress into Phase I human trials, subject to a favorable outcome from the currently ongoing regulatory pharmacological and safety evaluation.
According to Novartis, the study findings, which were published this week in science journal Science, showed that the antimalarial candidate, spiroindolone NITD609, is effective against both strains of malaria parasite, Plasmodium (P.) falciparum and P. vivax. The study found that through a novel mechanism, NITD609 rapidly clears plasmodium in a malaria mouse model. It also showed pharmacological properties compatible with a once-daily dosing regimen, Novartis noted.
The compound was discovered by the scientists at the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases or NITD, in collaboration with researchers from the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation or GNF, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and The Scripps Research Institute.
The company also stated that the project received a major support from the UK's Wellcome Trust; Swiss-based not-for-profit public-private partnership the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV); Singaporean government agency A*STAR; and the U.S. government.
Commenting on the discovery, Mark Fishman, president, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, stated, "The parasite has demonstrated a frustrating ability to outwit new medicines, from quinine to today's unsettling increased tolerance to artemisinin derivatives. We are delighted that our scientists could provide this potential new malaria therapy, based on an unprecedented chemical structure and directed to a novel target."
According to Bryan Yeung, project team head, Novartis Institute for Tropical Disease, from Novartis' archive of 12,000 pure natural products and synthetic compounds, scientists identified 275 compounds that are highly active against P. falciparum, the most prevalent and deadly form of malaria, using a novel Plasmodium.
"From this set all but 17 compounds were discarded for failing to meet pharmacological and efficacy standards. Of the remaining compound class, spirotetrahydro-beta-carbolines or spiroindolones have favorable physical and chemical properties for drug development as well as a mechanism of action distinct from the currently used therapies based on aminoquinolines and artemisinin derivatives," Yeung noted.
According to an estimate by the World Health Organization or WHO, there were about 247 million malaria cases in 2008, causing nearly one million deaths, mainly among young children in Africa. Even though this disease is preventable and curable, it is estimated that a child dies every 45 seconds in Africa due to Malaria.
Novartis said that as of June this year, it has delivered over 340 million of its antimalarial treatments without profit to more than 60 malaria-endemic countries for using in the public sector.
NVS closed Thursday's trading at $53 on the NYSE, down $0.30, on a volume of 2.52 million shares.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.