Arterolane, also known as OZ277 or RBx 11160, is a substance that was tested for

antimalarial Antimalarial medications or simply antimalarials are a type of antiparasitic chemical agent, often naturally derived, that can be used to treat or to prevent malaria, in the latter case, most often aiming at two susceptible target groups, young ...

activity by

Ranbaxy Laboratories Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited was an Indian multinational pharmaceutical company that was incorporated in India in 1961 and remained an entity until 2014. The company went public in 1973. Ownership of Ranbaxy changed twice over the course of its ...

. It was discovered by US and European scientists who were coordinated by the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV). Its molecular structure is uncommon for pharmacological compounds in that it has both an

ozonide Ozonide is the polyatomic anion . Cyclic organic compounds formed by the addition of ozone () to an alkene are also called ozonides. Ionic ozonides Inorganic ozonides are dark red salts. The anion has the bent shape of the ozone molecule. Ino ...

(trioxolane) group and an

adamantane Adamantane is an organic compound with a formula C10H16 or, more descriptively, (CH)4(CH2)6. Adamantane molecules can be described as the fusion of three cyclohexane rings. The molecule is both rigid and virtually stress-free. Adamantane is the ...

substituent. Initial results were disappointing, and in 2007 MMV withdrew support, after having invested $20M in the research; Ranbaxy said at the time that it intended to continue developing the drug combination on its own. Ranbaxy started a

Phase II clinical trial The phases of clinical research are the stages in which scientists conduct experiments with a health intervention to obtain sufficient evidence for a process considered effective as a medical treatment. For drug development, the clinical phases ...

of arterolane, in combination with

piperaquine Piperaquine is an antiparasitic drug used in combination with dihydroartemisinin to treat malaria. Piperaquine was developed under the Chinese National Malaria Elimination Programme in the 1960s and was adopted throughout China as a replacement f ...

in 2009 that published in 2015. In 2012, Ranbaxy obtained approval to market the arterolane/piperaquine

combination drug A combination drug or a fixed-dose combination (FDC) is a medicine that includes two or more active ingredients combined in a single dosage form. Terms like "combination drug" or "combination drug product" can be common shorthand for a FDC prod ...

in India, under the brand name Synriam, and in 2014 received approval to market it in Nigeria, Uganda, Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea, Kenya and Ivory Coast; it had already received approval in Uganda.

References

Antimalarial agents Adamantanes Organic peroxides Spiro compounds Carboxamides Amines Cyclohexanes {{antiinfective-drug-stub