Efficacy, Tolerability, PK of OZ439 in Adults With Acute, Uncomplicated P.Falciparum or Vivax Malaria Mono-infection

This exploratory Phase IIa study aims to investigate the preliminary efficacy in terms of parasite reduction and clearance in malaria patients, and the tolerability of OZ439 administered as single dose regimen at 3 different doses in parallel cohorts of patients with either acute uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium vivax malaria mono-infection (10 patients per plasmodium species per dose level).

Treatment with OZ439 will be given as a single dose on Day 0, starting in the first cohort at a dose of 800 mg. Established antimalarial therapy will be given at the latest at 36 hours post dosing.

The primary endpoint will be the derived parasite reduction rate (PRR) at 24 hours after study drug administration.

A review of each individual study cohort (dose/species) will be conducted with the Principal Investigator and the Sponsor and a decision will be reached on whether the dose for the next cohort should increase or decrease (within 200mg-1600mg range). This decision will be based on parasite reduction rate over the first 24 hours following administration of OZ439, tolerability and exposure.

Inclusion criteria

• Male or female patients between the age of 18 and 60 years, inclusive
• Body weight between 40 kg and 90 kg inclusive
• Presence of mono-infection of P. falciparum or P. vivax confirmed by:

• Fever, as defined by axillary temperature ≥ 37.5°C or oral/rectal/tympanic temperature ≥ 38°C, or history of fever in the previous 24 hours (history of fever must be documented) and,
• Microscopically confirmed parasite infection, 5,000 to 50,000 asexual parasite count/µl of blood
• Written informed consent, in accordance with local practice, provided by patient. If the patient is unable to write, witnessed consent is permitted according to local ethical considerations
• Ability to swallow oral medication
• Ability and willingness to participate and access the health facility
• Agree to minimum of 4 days hospitalisation for drug administration and pharmacokinetic sampling

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with signs and symptoms of severe/complicated malaria requiring parenteral treatment according to the World Health Organisation Criteria 2010 (Attachment 2)
• Mixed Plasmodium infection
• Severe vomiting, defined as more than three times in the 24 hours prior to inclusion in the study or inability to tolerate oral treatment, or severe diarrhoea defined as 3 or more watery stools per day
• Presence of other serious or chronic clinical condition requiring hospitalisation.
• Severe malnutrition (defined as the weight-for-height being below -3 standard deviation or less than 70% of median of the NCHS/WHO normalised reference values).
• Known history or evidence of clinically significant disorders such as cardiovascular (including arrhythmia, QTc interval greater than or equal to 450 msec), respiratory (including active tuberculosis), history of jaundice, hepatic, renal, gastrointestinal, immunological (including active HIV-AIDS), neurological (including auditory), endocrine, infectious, malignancy, psychiatric, history of convulsions or other abnormality (including head trauma).
• Known history of hypersensitivity, allergic or adverse reactions to artemisinin containing compounds or mefloquine or drug in the national guidelines for P. vivax.
• Known active Hepatitis A IgM (HAV-IgM), Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or Hepatitis C antibody (HCV Ab).
• Have received any antimalarial treatment in the preceding 14 days, as determined by history and screening test.
• Have received antibacterial with known antimalarial activity in the preceding 14 days.
• Have received an investigational drug within the past 4 weeks.
• Liver function tests (ASAT/ALAT levels) more than 2 x ULN
• Hb level below 10 g/dL.
• Bilirubin levels greater than 40 µmol/L.
• Serum creatinine levels more than 2 times the upper limit of normal range in absence of dehydration. In case of important dehydration the creatinine should be lower than 2X ULN after oral/parenteral rehydration.
• Female patients must be neither pregnant (as demonstrated by a negative serum pregnancy test) nor lactating, and must be willing to take measures not to become pregnant during the study period and safety follow-up period