Makerere University

FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2025 -- No benefit of high-dose versus standard-dose rifampin is seen among adults with tuberculosis meningitis, according to a study published online Dec. 17 in the New England Journal of Medicine . David B. Meya, M.B., Ch.B., Ph.D., from Makerere University in Uganda, and colleagues conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving adults with tuberculosis meningitis in Indonesia, South Africa, and Uganda to examine whether high-dose rifampin could improve survival outcomes. Participants with and without HIV coinfection were randomly assigned to receive eight weeks of standard daily isoniazid , rifampin (10 mg/kg body weight), ethambutol, and pyrazinamide plus either additional rifampin (for a cumulative dose of 35 mg/kg; high-dose group) or matched placebo (standard-dose group; 249 and 250 participants, respectively). The researchers found that 109 (44.6 percent) and 100 participants (40.7 percent) in the high-dose and standard-dose groups, respectively, died during six months of follow-up (hazard ratio, 1.17; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.89 to 1.54). The median time to death was 13 and 24 days in the high-dose and standard-dose groups, respectively, among those who died within six months. Drug-induced liver injury occurred in 8.0 and 4.4 percent of participants in the high-dose and standard-dose groups, with no deaths from drug-induced liver injury. "It was, of course, disappointing that this is not the solution. But these are important results -- we now know we need to take a different path. That’s how science works," coauthor Reinout van Crevel, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, said in a statement. One coauthor disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical industry. Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

The Prize was shared equally among the 3 African scientists for their pioneering contributions to the fight against malaria in Africa. This year's Al-Sumait Prize laureates have advanced world-class research in resource-constrained environments, showing extraordinary resilience and commitment to improving health outcomes in Africa.” — The Prizes Office KFAS KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT, September 30, 2025 / EINPresswire.com / -- The Board of Trustees of the Al-Sumait Prize for African Development has announced the winners of the 2024 Al-Sumait Prize in the field of Health, jointly awarded to three distinguished African scientists for their pioneering contributions to the fight against malaria in Africa. Professor Fred Binka (Ghana), Vice President of the University of Health and Allied Sciences, who conducted groundbreaking early studies on insecticide-treated bed nets. His work led to the adoption of this intervention as one of the most effective malaria prevention methods across Africa. Despite challenges of working in a low-resource environment, his leadership and collaboration with global institutions, including the Wellcome Trust , ensured sustainable impact on malaria control. Professor Richard Idro (Uganda), Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health at Makerere University and Consultant Pediatric Neurologist at Mulago National Referral Hospital, demonstrated the efficacy of chemoprevention (pre-exposure prophylaxis) for patients after discharge from hospital following malaria treatment. Despite working in a resource-constrained environment, he conducted impactful research that has significantly advanced patient care and outcomes in malaria management. Professor Halidou Tinto (Burkina Faso), Director of Research in Parasitology and Regional Director of the Institute for Health Sciences Research in Nanoro, Burkina Faso. He led large-scale clinical trials proving the efficacy of two landmark malaria vaccines, RTSS (GSK) and R21 (Oxford University). His leadership advanced Africa’s capacity for vaccine research and implementation despite severe limitations in research infrastructure. “Winners of the Al-Sumait Prize for African Development have advanced world-class research in resource-constrained environments, showing extraordinary resilience and commitment. The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences ( KFAS ) is proud to celebrate their leadership in transforming the fight against malaria and improving health outcomes in Africa." The Prize, established in honour of the late Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s initiative during the 2013 Arab-African Summit, commemorates the legacy of Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sumait, a Kuwaiti physician whose life was devoted to humanitarian and development work in Africa. It recognises excellence in Health, Food Security, and Education with a focus on projects and research that deliver lasting change for African communities. The Board of Trustees of the Al-Sumait Prize for African Development is chaired by His Excellency Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, Kuwait’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Other members of the Board include Mr. Abdulatif Alhamad, former Director General and Chairman of the Board of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, and Mr. Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Board also comprises Dr. Kwaku Aning, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Professor Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO, and Dr. Jaouad Mahjour, Assistant Director-General at the World Health Organization in charge of the Emergency Management and Response Program. Other distinguished members include Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR , Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, Executive Director at the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and Dr. Ameenah Rajab Farhan, Director General of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences. Prize info Kuwait Foundation for Advancement of Sciences email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.

- Cryptococcal meningitis is a serious fungal infection causing an estimated 112,000 deaths annually -The PLATFORM-CM trial is evaluating oteseconazole and other investigational products against the standard of care for treating cryptococcal meningitis DURHAM, N.C., June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mycovia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Mycovia") has announced enrollment of the first participant in an investigator-initiated clinical trial evaluating oteseconazole and other investigational products for cryptococcal meningitis, an investigational use that has not been approved by FDA. The Phase 2 PLATFORM-CM study marks a significant research effort aimed at improving treatment options for cryptococcal meningitis. Dr. David Boulware, Professor of Medicine, Infectious Disease and International Medicine at the University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, and Dr. David Meya, Associate Professor at the School of Medicine at the College of Health Sciences, Makerere University in Uganda, designed the study and will serve as Principal Investigators. PLATFORM-CM is an open-label randomized trial with single or potentially multiple interventional arms to compare the efficacy and safety of antifungal investigational therapies, including oteseconazole, to the standard of care WHO first-line therapy in treating cryptococcal meningitis. The clinical trial will be conducted at three sites in Uganda and will involve up to 200 participants who will be treated for 18 weeks with oteseconazole. "We are excited to initiate this important study and enroll our first research participant," said Dr. Boulware. "Our goal is to generate meaningful data that will show a reduction in death for patients that cannot use or who have developed resistance to current standard of care treatments." Globally, cryptococcal meningitis causes an estimated 152,000 cases and 112,000 deaths annually, and is one of the leading causes of death among people living with HIV in Africa. Several challenges exist with the current standard of care therapy including medication access and stability, supplier limitations, and substantial toxicity. Additional treatments are needed for cryptococcal meningitis, particularly those which have less toxicity, greater efficacy, a prolonged half-life, and minimal drug-drug interactions. The World Health Organization has identified Cryptococcus as a critical Fungal Priority Pathogen. Oteseconazole is designed to selectively inhibit fungal CYP51, which is required for fungal cell wall integrity, and this interaction is also toxic to fungi, resulting in the inhibition of fungal growth. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that oteseconazole is potent against fluconazole-sensitive and -resistant strains of Cryptococcus. "Mycovia is committed to making a meaningful impact in our global community and driving innovation for unmet or underserved medical needs through clinical research and collaboration," commented Dr. Stephen Brand, Chief Development Officer of Mycovia. "This study will serve to further evaluate oteseconazole beyond its currently approved indication and expand upon the encouraging preclinical data that suggests oteseconazole may have clinical utility in treating this serious fungal infection of the brain and central nervous system." For more information about the trial, please visit . About Mycovia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Mycovia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an emerging biopharmaceutical company dedicated to recognizing and empowering those living with unmet medical needs by developing novel therapies. VIVJOA® (oteseconazole) capsules, the first FDA-approved product for Mycovia, is an azole antifungal indicated to reduce the incidence of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) in females with a history of RVVC who are not of reproductive potential. Oteseconazole received FDA Qualified Infectious Disease Product and Fast-Track designations to become the first FDA-approved therapy for RVVC. In 2019, Mycovia licensed oteseconazole to Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., to develop and commercialize oteseconazole in China, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Mycovia also recognizes tremendous potential for its oral fungal inhibitors and a growing need to treat a range of multi-drug-resistant fungal pathogens. For more information, please visit . SOURCE Mycovia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED