The official website of World Health Organization published on Thursday May 23rd 2013 the pre-qualification of two new strengths of Artesun from Guilin Pharma, Fosun Pharma’s subsidiary.

Since the previous updating of WHO’s Guidelines for Severe Malaria Treatment in April 2011, around twenty malaria endemic countries worldwide have shifted from the traditional antimalarial quinine injection to artesunate injection as the first line treatment for severe malaria. In the past two years, over five million vials of Artesun 60mg have been procured by international NGOs and African governments to treat severe malaria patients, and hundreds of thousands of lives, especially African children have been saved by the drug.

As the first WHO approved manufacturer of injectable artesunate, Guilin Pharma is committed to supplying drugs of guaranteed quality to meet the needs of the market and its clients. In 2011 the company developed the user-friendly three-vial pack of Artesun 30mg and 120mg for pediatric patients and adult patients in underdeveloped African regions. Using the 30mg and 120mg packs now allows healthcare workers the flexibility to tailor the right dose for the patient and considerably reduce wastage.

Dr. Timothy Wells, Chief Scientific Officer of Medicines for Malaria Venture said “This is a great achievement! A range of doses for this essential antimalarial will have a major impact on the lives of children and adults in Africa. I look forward to celebrating the day when you have shipped 10 million vials to help treat severe malaria patients, knowing this will be a milestone towards the day in the distant future when we will no longer need to treat malaria, because it will have been eradicated.”