malaria

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend a meeting at Georgetown University, which featured TLG Capital and members of Quality Chemical Industries Limited (QCIL). QCIL is the first World Health Organization-approved pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in sub-sarahan Africa. Their goals, which include expanding accessibility of antimalarial and antirevtrovirals by guaranteeing affordability and quality drugs.

Their state-of-the-art facility looks like it could be found in any technology park in a "developed" country. I had the privilege of watching a full-length video tour of the facility at the event. Though I do not have access to that film, here is a shorter clip which is styled as a welcome video for visitors.

You can see the high level of detail paid to maintaining a highly sterile and secure facility. Be sure to check out some other photos of the facility. The products they manufacture are Duovir-N, the antiretroviral for HIV/AIDS treatment and Lumartem, the combination drug which is used to treat malaria (also know as ACT).

Image source: Intellectual Ventures Lab

Malaria is a mosquito borne infectious disease that kills between 1-3 million people a year.  Ninety percent of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa.   Malaria transmission is generally reduced through the prevention of mosquito bites with inexpensive mosquito nets, insect repellants, or insecticides.

Revealed at TED2010, we may have a new technology on our hands to aerially combat these insects.  Check out Kim Zetter’s article on Wired.com for description of the Death Star laser for mosquitos.