NEWS ACCESS BIO

THE GOAL: ENDING MALARIA IN OUR LIFETIME

KNOWLEDGE
Author
Access BIO
Date
2020-06-20 23:29
Views
11790
Malaria and its effects are primarily concentrated in poor, developing nations. in 2018, there were an estimated 228 million cases around the world and more than 400,000 deaths. Of those, more than 90% of cases and mortalities occurred in the sub-Saharan region of Africa, and children under the age of 5 account for two-thirds of all malaria deaths worldwide. This is a disease that robs nations not only of lives but hope for a better future.

The good news is that we have the tools to fight this deadly disease, and experts agree that if these concentrated efforts are sustained, we can eradicate malaria by 2050. The impressive efforts are coordinated by a series of public/private and non-profit partnerships, including organizations such as UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, GE, and the Global Good Fund, among many others.

Wide-spread testing and surveillance are critical components in the fight against malaria. Over the years, testing has advanced significantly, and today’s tests are characterized by their:
  • Reliability: test results must be clear and dependable
  • Sensitivity: to provide a clearer and earlier look at potential exposure
  • Scale: tests must be not only available but available at affordable prices
  • Ease-of-use: It is crucial that malaria testing can be administered quickly and easily in the field
Access Bio has developed and commercialized a range of malaria testing products, including both RDT and serology tests, allowing health officials to determine if a population has recently been exposed to the malaria parasite, which, in turn, enables the rapid actions necessary to quell or even prevent outbreaks.

The global company, with headquarters in the United States, has received significant grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Global Good Fund to continue its innovative work – not only in the development of high-quality testing tools, but in producing them at the necessary scale.

“With our commercialization experience and mass production facilities, Access Bio will be able to fully accommodate the commercialization of the highly sensitive RDTs at affordable prices. These tests will be the next generation of diagnostic testing and a big step towards the eradication of malaria,” said Young Ho Choi, Chief Executive Officer of Access Bio.