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Coartem (ARTEMETHER)
Artemether works by rapidly killing malaria parasites in the blood and liver.
Coartem (Artemether) is an antimalarial small molecule drug originally developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and currently owned by Novartis. It is used to treat chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Coartem was FDA-approved in 2009 and is indicated for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria. The commercial status of Coartem is patented, but it is likely to become available as a generic medication in the future. Key safety considerations include potential liver toxicity and interactions with other medications.
At a glance
| Generic name | ARTEMETHER |
|---|---|
| Drug class | Antimalarial [EPC] |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Rare Disease |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
| First approval | 2009 |
Mechanism of action
Coartem Tablets, fixed dose combination of artemether and lumefantrine in the ratio of 1:6, is an antimalarial agent [see Microbiology (12.4)].
Approved indications
- Chloroquine Resistant Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria
Common side effects
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Anorexia
- Asthenia
- Pyrexia
- Cough
- Vomiting
- Arthralgia
- Myalgia
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
Drug interactions
- High Risk QT Prolonging Agents
- carbamazepine
- dienestrol
- estradiol
- ethinylestradiol
- fosphenytoin
- levonorgestrel
- medroxyprogesterone
- norethisterone
- phenytoin
- rifampicin
- ulipristal acetate
Key clinical trials
- First-in-Human PfSPZ-LARC2 Vaccination/CHMI (PHASE1)
- Platform Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Anti-malarial Agents in Participants With Uncomplicated Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria (Cohort B2) (PHASE2)
- Investigating the Pharmacology of Tafenoquine in Papua New Guinean Children With Uncomplicated Malaria (PHASE4)
- OPTImizing Malaria And HIV Treatment in a Shifting Landscape in Africa (PHASE4)
- CHILD (Child Health and Infection With Low Density) Malaria (NA)
- Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of KLU156 in Adults and Children With Uncomplicated P. Falciparum Malaria (PHASE3)
- Health Systems Implementation and Molecular Surveillance of Multiple First-Line Treatments for Uncomplicated Malaria in Western Kenya
- Impact of Malaria Mass Drug Administration on Malaria Prevalence in Under 15 Children and Pregnant Women (NA)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| FDA label | Mechanism, indications, dosing, boxed warnings, drug interactions |
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |