Rwanda launches Africa’s first trial of preventive malaria injection
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Business Day Nigeria
Rwanda is hosting Africa’s first phase 1 trial of a long-acting injectable malaria treatment, MMV371, designed to prevent the disease. Medicines for Malaria Venture and Rwandan research organisation Rinda Ubuzima have launched the phase 1b trial, the first step in assessing its safety and efficacy.
Rwanda has launched a phase 1b clinical trial of a long-acting injectable treatment to prevent malaria, Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), a research organisation, announced with Rwandan health research organisation Rinda Ubuzima. It is the first phase 1 trial of an injectable malaria treatment to be conducted in Africa, according to Business Day Nigeria.
The trial will assess the safety and tolerability of the MMV371 compound in Rwandan adults and adolescents. Researchers will also study its potential efficacy and how the body absorbs and processes the drug. Previous work in the United Kingdom showed that the compound was well tolerated by healthy adults and could provide protection for about three months, according to MMV.
The World Health Organization estimates that malaria caused more than 280 million cases and 600,000 deaths worldwide in 2024, 95% of them in Africa. MMV says resistance to antimalarial drugs, changes in disease patterns linked to extreme weather events and fragile health systems are increasing the need for new prevention tools.
In Rwanda, the trial comes amid efforts to develop health research capacity, including through the opening of a hearing centre in Kigali, announced on 26 October 2026.
