Clinical trials

This is a single-centre, participant- and investigator-blind, randomised, placebo controlled, single ascending dose study to assess the safety, tolerability and PK of a single dose of IM depot injection(s) of LAI formulations of MMV055 administered alone (Part A) and in combination with MMV371 (Part B) in healthy participants. It is planned to enroll up to 6 sequential cohorts of 8 healthy male participants and healthy female participants of non-childbearing potential in Part A. In Part B, up to 3 sequential cohorts of 8 healthy male participants and healthy non-pregnant, non-lactating female participants will be enrolled. In each cohort, participants will be randomised in a ratio of 6 active investigational medicinal product (IMP) to 2 placebo. Part A of the study will include two components, Parts A1 and A2. Part A1 includes two initial cohorts, with planned doses of 40 and 100mg, respectively. It is intended to document the human elimination T1/2 of MMV055, which will then be used to shorten the proposed End of Study (EOS) of 48 weeks, if possible. All cohorts will follow a sentinel dosing design. On Day 1, two sentinel participants (sentinel group) will be randomly assigned to receive a single IM dose of either active IMP or placebo (1 participant each) to assess safety and tolerability (including ISRs). The sentinel group will be dosed concomitantly at least 7 days prior to the rest of the cohort (main group). The main group will comprise 6 participants randomly assigned to receive a single IM dose of either active IMP or placebo in a 5:1 ratio to assess safety and tolerability (including ISRs).

This Phase 1b study will assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics (PK, this measures the levels of study drug in the body) of a single injection of MMV371 in healthy adult and adolescent participants in Rwanda. MMV371 has been designed as a long acting injection (LAI). Protective efficacy (PE) will be assessed as an exploratory endpoint. Protective efficacy measures if participants are protected from becoming ill with malaria whilst the MMV371 is still present in their body. The study will enroll approximately 80 healthy male and female participants, aged 12 to 50 years. Before starting the study participants will be given a standard approved course of artemether lumifantrine (AL) to clear any malaria infection they have. Once the AL course has been completed the study drug will be given by injection in the muscle of the upper arm, the side of the thigh, or the hip. Three out of four participants will receive MMV371 and 1 in four participants will receive placebo. Placebo is a dummy medicine. All participants have an equal chance of being assigned to receive the injection in the upper arm, outer thigh or hip. Neither the participants nor the researchers treating the participants will know who received MMV371 or placebo until after the study is completed. Key study features include: * Study duration for each participant: up to 7 months * MMV371 or placebo given: a single intramuscular (IM) injection * Visit schedule: Participants will remain in-clinic on Days -1-2 (2 overnight stays), followed by 15 follow-up visits: Day 4, then weekly for 1 month, and subsequently every 2 weeks until the End-of-Study (EoS) visit at Week 24. These frequent visits are necessary to monitor safety, the levels of MMV371 in the body, and to perform malaria detection testing until EoS (Week 24).