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Artesunate 2
Artesunate is an artemisinin derivative that generates reactive oxygen species to kill malaria parasites and has immunomodulatory and anti-cancer properties.
Artesunate is an artemisinin derivative that generates reactive oxygen species to kill malaria parasites and has immunomodulatory and anti-cancer properties. Used for Malaria (treatment and severe malaria), Cancer (investigational, various solid tumors).
At a glance
| Generic name | Artesunate 2 |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | University of Oxford |
| Drug class | Artemisinin derivative |
| Target | Malaria parasite heme; potential cancer cell apoptosis pathways |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Infectious Disease; Oncology |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
Artesunate acts primarily through its endoperoxide bridge, which is cleaved by heme iron in malaria parasites to generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species that damage parasite proteins and DNA. Beyond antimalarial activity, artesunate has demonstrated immunomodulatory effects and potential anti-cancer properties through induction of apoptosis and differentiation in cancer cells, making it a candidate for both infectious disease and oncology applications.
Approved indications
- Malaria (treatment and severe malaria)
- Cancer (investigational, various solid tumors)
Common side effects
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Headache
Key clinical trials
- Serological Testing and Treatment for Plasmodium Vivax Malaria: a Trial in Ethiopia and Madagascar (PHASE3)
- A Clinical Study of Piperaquine, Pyronaridine, and Artesunate Administered in Combination in Healthy Adults (PHASE1)
- OPTImizing Malaria And HIV Treatment in a Shifting Landscape in Africa (PHASE4)
- Severe Malaria in Remote Areas- Closing the Evidence Gap
- A Study Evaluating the Safety and Tolerability of Artesunate in Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PHASE1)
- To Evaluate Efficacy, Safety, Tolerability and PK of Intravenous Cipargamin in Participants With Severe Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria (PHASE2)
- Feasibility of Intravaginal Artesunate as Adjuvant HPV & Cervical Precancer Treatment in Kenya (PHASE2)
- Safety of Antimalarials in the FIRst trimEster (PHASE3)
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 |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Artesunate 2 CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Artesunate 2 updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- University of Oxford portfolio CI