Pyronaridine-artesunate or dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine combined with single low-dose primaquine to prevent Plasmodium falciparum malaria transmission in Ouélessébougou, Mali: a four-arm, single-blind, phase 2/3, randomised trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Pyronaridine-artesunate is the most recently licensed artemisinin-based combination therapy. WHO has recommended that a single low dose of primaquine could be added to artemisinin-based combination therapies to reduce Plasmodium falciparum transmission in areas aiming for elimination of malaria or areas facing artemisinin resistance. We aimed to determine the efficacy of pyronaridine-artesunate and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine with and without single low-dose primaquine for reducing gametocyte density and transmission to mosquitoes.

METHODS:

We conducted a four-arm, single-blind, phase 2/3, randomised trial at the Ouélessébougou Clinical Research Unit of the Malaria Research and Training Centre of the University of Bamako (Bamako, Mali). Participants were aged 5-50 years, with asymptomatic P falciparum malaria mono-infection and gametocyte carriage on microscopy, haemoglobin density of 9·5 g/dL or higher, bodyweight less than 80 kg, and no use of antimalarial drugs over the past week. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) to one of four treatment groups: pyronaridine-artesunate, pyronaridine-artesunate plus primaquine, dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine, or dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine plus primaquine. Treatment allocation was concealed to all study staff other than the trial pharmacist and treating physician. Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine and pyronaridine-artesunate were administered as per manufacturer guidelines over 3 days; primaquine was administered as a single dose in oral solution according to bodyweight (0·25 mg/kg; in 1 kg bands). The primary endpoint was percentage reduction in mosquito infection rate (percentage of mosquitoes surviving to dissection that were infected with P falciparum) at 48 h after treatment compared with baseline (before treatment) in all treatment groups. Data were analysed per protocol. This trial is now complete, and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04049916.

FINDINGS:

Between Sept 10 and Nov 19, 2019, 1044 patients were assessed for eligibility and 100 were enrolled and randomly assigned to one of the four treatment groups (n=25 per group). Before treatment, 66 (66%) of 100 participants were infectious to mosquitoes, with a median of 15·8% (IQR 5·4-31·9) of mosquitoes becoming infected. In individuals who were infectious before treatment, the median percentage reduction in mosquito infection rate 48 h after treatment was 100·0% (IQR 100·0 to 100·0) for individuals treated with pyronaridine-artesunate plus primaquine (n=18; p<0·0001) and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine plus primaquine (n=15; p=0·0001), compared with -8·7% (-54·8 to 93·2) with pyronaridine-artesunate (n=17; p=0·88) and 50·4% (13·8 to 70·9) with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (n=16; p=0·13). There were no serious adverse events, and there were no significant differences between treatment groups at any point in the frequency of any adverse events (Fisher's exact test p=0·96) or adverse events related to study drugs (p=0·64). The most common adverse events were headaches (40 events in 32 [32%] of 100 participants), rhinitis (31 events in 30 [30%]), and respiratory infection (20 events in 20 [20%]).

INTERPRETATION:

These data support the use of single low-dose primaquine as an effective supplement to dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine and pyronaridine-artesunate for blocking P falciparum transmission. The new pyronaridine-artesunate plus single low-dose primaquine combination is of immediate relevance to regions in which the containment of partial artemisinin and partner-drug resistance is a growing concern and in regions aiming to eliminate malaria.

FUNDING:

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

TRANSLATIONS:

For the French, Spanish and Swahilil translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

• Authors: William Stone, Almahamoudou Mahamar, Koualy Sanogo, Youssouf Sinaba, Sidi M Niambele, Adama Sacko, Sekouba Keita, Ahamadou Youssouf, Makonon Diallo, Harouna M Soumare, Harparkash Kaur, Kjerstin Lanke, Rob Ter Heine, John Bradley, Djibrilla Issiaka, Halimatou Diawara, Sekou F Traore, Teun Bousema, Chris Drakeley, Alassane Dicko
• Journal: The Lancet. Microbe (Lancet Microbe) Vol. 3 Issue 1 Pg. e41-e51 (Jan 2022) ISSN: 2666-5247 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 35028628 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Phase II, Clinical Trial, Phase III, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.

Chemical References

• Antimalarials
• Artemisinins
• Drug Combinations
• Naphthyridines
• Piperazines
• Quinolines
• pyronaridine tetraphosphate, artesunate drug combination
• Artesunate
• artenimol
• piperaquine
• Primaquine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Animals
• Antimalarials (therapeutic use)
• Artemisinins (therapeutic use)
• Artesunate (therapeutic use)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Drug Combinations
• Humans
• Malaria, Falciparum (prevention & control)
• Mali (epidemiology)
• Middle Aged
• Naphthyridines (therapeutic use)
• Piperazines
• Primaquine (therapeutic use)
• Quinolines
• Single-Blind Method
• Young Adult