Malaria Quick Facts
Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes.
In Africa, a child dies every 30 seconds of malaria.
The disease sickens more than 200 million people every year. It accounts for 20% of all childhood deaths.
More than 650,000 people, mostly children, will die from malaria this year.
Malaria is preventable and curable.
» Invest in Malaria Eradication Today
Connect Facebook Twitter Linked InOur response to malaria
Ensure steady and affordable supply of artemisinin
Malaria sickens more than 200 million people around the world, killing up to 650,000 annually, mostly children under five years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) have proved to be a safe and effective cure for malaria and have been recommended by the World Health Organization as a first-line treatment. Yet the world's supply of the key ingredient of ACTs, currently derived from the sweet wormwood plant, has not been consistent.
To strengthen production of artemisinin, we set out to develop an innovative manufacturing process to create non-seasonal, high-quality, and affordable supply of artemisinin.
We've partnered with a diverse group of experts from the academic, biotech, and phamaceutical sectors, and worked together toward a common goal - to use the latest technology and innovation to advance global health equity.
The project began in 2004, and our partners included synthetic biology innovator Amyris, Inc., the University of CA, Berkeley, and the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi. The novel use of synthetic biology technology was based on pioneering inventions from UC Berkeley, Amyris, the National Research Council Canada Plant Biotechnology Institute, and GenoClipp Biotechnology BV. The chemistry expertise and the industrial experience and capacity of Sanofi helped bring this project from small laboratory experiments to production on the factory floor.
Program Highlights
- 2004 Received $42.6 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support research, development, technology transfer, and a pilot scale-up of the manufacturing process.
- 2004 Partnered with University of California, Berkeley, and Amyris, Inc. to research synthetic biology techniques to produce artemisinic acid.
- 2007 Partnered with a global pharmaceutical company Sanofi for process development, manufacturing and commercialization.
- 2008 Granted royalty-free license for development of industrial scale production of semisynthetic artemisinin to Sanofi.
- 2009 Received $10.7 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fund industrialization and commercial scale-up.
- 2010 In partnership with Sanofi, completed industrialization with the intent to commercialize ACTs containing the semisynthetic artemisinin.
- 2011 Announced that project entered production phase.
- 2012 In partnership with Sanofi, completed process validation; submitted regulatory dossiers to WHO and AIFA; produced several tons of materials for testing by potential customers.
Over nine years, we went from an idea developed in a lab to industrial-scale production of semisynthetic artemisinin. The entire manufacturing process to produce semisynthetic artemisinin takes approximately three months, less time than the botanical growing and harvesting cycle, and can be done in a controlled manufacturing setting to ensure high pharmaceutical consistency and quality.
In 2012, substantial amount of semisynthetic artemisinin was produced and made available for testing by derivative manufacturers. Large-scale production of semisynthetic artemisinin will launch in 2013, with a production goal of 35 metric tons of material, which translates to approximately 70 million antimalarial treatments. Semisynthetic artemisinin will be produced at no profit, no loss, helping to keep the price at a fair market value.
Providing the market with an additional source of high-quality artemisinin will complement the current plant-derived supply, ensure a more stable flow of artemisinin to ACT manufacturers, and secure greater availability of treatments to patients.
Program Highlights
- 2004 Received $42.6 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support research, development, technology transfer, and a pilot scale-up of the manufacturing process.
- 2004 Partnered with University of California, Berkeley, and Amyris, Inc. to research synthetic biology techniques to produce artemisinic acid.
- 2007 Partnered with a global pharmaceutical company Sanofi for process development, manufacturing and commercialization.
- 2008 Granted royalty-free license for development of industrial scale production of semisynthetic artemisinin to Sanofi.
- 2009 Received $10.7 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fund industrialization and commercial scale-up.
- 2010 In partnership with Sanofi, completed industrialization with the intent to commercialize ACTs containing the semisynthetic artemisinin.
- 2011 Announced that project entered production phase.
- 2012 In partnership with Sanofi, completed process validation; submitted regulatory dossiers to WHO and AIFA; produced several tons of materials for testing by potential customers.
Our partners
University of California, Berkeley
The project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Sanofi's Impact Malaria initiative
Since 2001, our partner Sanofi has been committed to the global fight against malaria, with the efforts combining accessible drugs and educational programs.
Program Highlights
- 2004 Received $42.6 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support research, development, technology transfer, and a pilot scale-up of the manufacturing process.
- 2004 Partnered with University of California, Berkeley, and Amyris, Inc. to research synthetic biology techniques to produce artemisinic acid.
- 2007 Partnered with a global pharmaceutical company Sanofi for process development, manufacturing and commercialization.
- 2008 Granted royalty-free license for development of industrial scale production of semisynthetic artemisinin to Sanofi.
- 2009 Received $10.7 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fund industrialization and commercial scale-up.
- 2010 In partnership with Sanofi, completed industrialization with the intent to commercialize ACTs containing the semisynthetic artemisinin.
- 2011 Announced that project entered production phase.
- 2012 In partnership with Sanofi, completed process validation; submitted regulatory dossiers to WHO and AIFA; produced several tons of materials for testing by potential customers.