Drug Database
AR

artesunate (artesunate, Amivas)

✓ Approved

Amivas · Small Molecule · Small Molecule

What is artesunate?

artesunate is a small molecule developed by Amivas. It is approved for therapeutic indications via injectable (others) or intravenous (iv).

Drug Profile

Brand Namesartesunate, Amivas
CompanyAmivas
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
RouteInjectable (Others), Intravenous (IV)
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Amivas

Therapeutic Indications

artesunate is developed for 2 unique indications across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Infections and infestationsPlasmodium malariae infection✓ Approved
Infections and infestationsCytomegalovirus infectionPreclinical

Related Research Articles

PubMedCureus2026-08-28

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in Severe Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Among Adult Sudanese Patients in Kosti Teaching Hospital, 2025.

Imad Ziryab Z, Mohamed Shazer Mubarak Mohamedkhair SMM, Awad Mustafa M, Ahmed Tarig Alhadi Madibbo TAM

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent and serious complication of severe malaria (SM), contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. In endemic regions like Sudan, AKI complicates the clinical course of SM, yet detailed demographic, clinical, and outcome data remain limited. Aim This study aimed to characterize the demographic profile, clinical features, management strategies, and outcomes of AKI in patients with SM in Sudan. Methods A cross-sectional analysis of 100 SM patients with AKI was conducted in Kosti Teaching Hospital from February to May 2025. Data on demographics, comorbidities, malaria complications, AKI severity (classified via Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria), treatment regimens, contributing factors, interventions, and outcomes were collected from medical records. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, IBM Corp., Version 26.0, Armonk, NY). Results Patients were predominantly male (64 (64%)) with a mean age of 48 years (SD 22); 43 (43%) were under 40 years of age. Central Sudan residents comprised 67 (67%) of cases. Hyperparasitemia (92 (92%)), circulatory shock (58 (58%)), and prostration (44 (44%)) were frequent complications. Hypertension (36 (36%)) and diabetes (20 (20%)) were leading comorbidities. Artesunate was the primary treatment (68 (68%)). AKI severity included Stage 1 (44 (44%)), Stage 2 (28 (28%)), and Stage 3 (28 (28%)). Hypovolemia (95 (95%)) and sepsis (63 (63%)) were key contributors. Interventions included IV fluids (94 (94%)) and antibiotics (74 (74%)). Outcomes revealed full renal recovery in 55 (55%), partial recovery in 28 (28%), progression to chronic kidney disease in 13 (13%), and a four (4%) mortality rate. Conclusion SM-associated AKI in Sudan predominantly affects younger people as well as males and is frequently linked to hyperparasitemia, circulatory shock, and comorbid hypertension. Despite high rates of severe AKI, over half of patients achieve full renal recovery with appropriate treatment, though a notable proportion progress to chronic kidney disease or die.

PMID 42662655
Read full article →
PubMedCritical care explorations2026-08-26

Immunomodulation Therapy to Treat Severe Malaria With Multiple Organ Failure.

Camara Saige S, Buck Amy A, Burrell Mikayla M, Humes H David HD et al.

Malaria causes more than 600,000 deaths annually. Severe malaria is frequently complicated by acute kidney injury (AKI) and multiple organ failure driven by dysregulated host hyperinflammation. Elevated cytokines, including interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha, are associated with disease severity and mortality, yet effective adjunctive immunomodulatory therapies are lacking. We report the first clinical use of the selective cytopheretic device (SCD), an extracorporeal immunomodulatory therapy, in severe malaria. A 5-year-old girl returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo presented with fever, shock, 10.9% parasitemia, AKI, and evolving multiple organ dysfunction. Despite IV artesunate and RBC exchange, she developed refractory shock and severe lactic acidosis. Continuous renal replacement therapy with adjunctive SCD therapy was initiated, after which inflammatory markers, vasopressor requirements, and metabolic acidosis improved with progressive organ recovery. Targeted extracorporeal immunomodulation may represent a promising adjunctive strategy for severe malaria.

PMID 42644869
Read full article →
PubMedMalaria journal2026-08-25

The effect of mefloquine dose on outcome of uncomplicated falciparum malaria treated with artesunate-mefloquine: a WWARN systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

WWARN AS-MQ Dose Impact Study Group

A combination of mefloquine associated with artesunate (AS-MQ) was the first artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) to be used widely for acute uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. Individual patient data from 31 studies of patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria treated with various AS-MQ regimens (target mefloquine dose 25 mg/kg), conducted in Asia, Africa and South America, were pooled and analysed to investigate the effects of MQ mg/kg dosing on malaria recurrence and other clinical, parasitological and tolerability endpoints. A total of 6,761 patients were enrolled in clinical studies conducted between 1995 and 2018; the majority (74%) were from Asia. The median age of study participants was 18 years (interquartile range IQR 8-30 years), of whom 13.5% (915/6761) were aged less than 5 years old. Participants received an estimated median [range] total mg/kg dose of mefloquine and artesunate of 25 [6.8-60] and 12 [3.6-33.3] respectively, and 1,572 (23.4%) participants were treated with the coformulation. The PCR-corrected recrudescence rate 42 days after any ASMQ treatment was 2.4% for patients enrolled in Asia and 2.5% in Africa, before artemisinin resistance emerged. Corresponding rates in children aged 1 to < 5 years were 2.9% and 3.3%. After adjusting for background artemisinin resistance, the hazard of recrudescence was higher in children aged 1 to < 5 years than in adults in Asia, but not in Africa (Asia, HR 3.01, 95%CI 1.60-5.64, p < 0.001; Africa HR 5.18, 95% CI 0.61-44.28, p = 0.133). There was only one recrudescent infection in South America. A significant MQ dose-effect was observed in Asia in patients treated with 3-dose regimens (AHR 0.89, 95% CI 0.83-0.96, p = 0.003 for 1 mg/kg increase in dose). Vomiting rates within an hour of dosing were highest in children 1- 5 years of age (n = 140) at 3.4% doses (13/378) compared to 1.7% (20/1,168) in children 5-11 years (n = 476), and 1.1% (47/4,191) in patients 12 years of age or older (n = 2027) (p < 0.001, test for trend). AS-MQ administered over three days is a highly efficacious ACT in low to moderate transmission areas without artemisinin resistance. While further optimisation of the mefloquine dose in the coformulation in children aged 1-5 years could be considered, dose-related early vomiting is highest in this age group and may preclude this.

PMID 42638106
Read full article →
PubMedMini reviews in medicinal chemistry2026-08-24

Neuroprotective Potential of Terpenoids: A Promising Avenue in Neurology.

Gairola Nidhi N, Uniyal Sushmita S, Martolia Jaya J, Gogoi Himanko H et al.

Neurodegenerative diseases are progressive disorders characterised by the deterioration of neuronal structure and function, ultimately leading to cognitive deficits and functional impairment. Due to neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction, neurones, which cannot regenerate themselves, are highly susceptible to degeneration. There are many possible side effects associated with traditional pharmacotherapies, although they often offer symptomatic relief, highlighting the need for safer and more effective therapeutics. Natural products such as terpenoids, a structurally diverse class of isoprenoid compounds, have shown promising neuroprotective effects. Classes of terpenoids exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and mitochondrialprotective effects by regulating crucial signalling cascades, including Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF- κB), Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK), Phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), and Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Across preclinical models, representative compounds like catalpol, geniposide, artesunate, ginkgolides, alisol A 24-acetate, echinocystic acid, lycopene, and astaxanthin have demonstrated efficacy against Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, ischaemia, and haemorrhage by preserving neuronal integrity and function. Despite these promising findings, challenges such as poor bioavailability, limited blood-brain barrier penetration, metabolic instability, and a lack of standardised human safety data limit translational progress. Structural optimisation and advanced delivery systems, such as nanoparticles, cyclodextrin inclusion, combined therapeutic strategies, precision-targeted interventions, and rigorous clinical trials, may be considered future directions. In short, terpenoids have the potential to be developed as novel multitarget neurotherapeutic agents with further research to bridge preclinical promise and clinical validation.

PMID 42634530
Read full article →
PubMedJournal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy2026-08-24

Severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria with marked ADAMTS13 reduction and secondary microangiopathic features: A case report.

Huang Ming M, Jia Xishuai X, Wang Xiaomei X, Hu Lin L et al.

To report a case of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria with marked ADAMTS13 reduction and secondary microangiopathic manifestations resembling TTP, highlighting the diagnostic challenge of distinguishing malaria-associated microangiopathic changes from primary TTP-spectrum disorders. The patient's clinical features, laboratory data, peripheral blood smear findings, ADAMTS13 activity, treatment, outcomes,and relevant literature were retrospectively analyzed. A 46-year-old man returning from Nigeria presented with severe P. falciparum malaria after 11 days of intermittent fever and fatigue, followed by jaundice and dark urine. Laboratory testing showed severe anemia, thrombocytopenia, hyperbilirubinemia, acute kidney injury, and elevated lactate dehydrogenase. Peripheral blood smear revealed intraerythrocytic P. falciparum with high parasitemia (approximately 17%) and a low proportion of schistocytes (approximately 1%).The patient subsequently developed impaired consciousness and multi-organ dysfunction. ADAMTS13 activity was 7.6%. Given the coexistence of thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolysis, neurological impairment, renal dysfunction, and marked ADAMTS13 reduction, a TMA phenotype raising concern for TTP-spectrum disease was suspected. However, because severe falciparum malaria itself can cause endothelial injury, secondary TMA, and reduced ADAMTS13 activity, immune-mediated TTP could not be confirmed. After combined treatment with intravenous artesunate, therapeutic plasma exchange, continuous renal replacement therapy, and intensive supportive care, the patient showed improvement in platelet count, hemolysis markers, renal function, and neurologic status, with ADAMTS13 activity increasing to 42%. Severe falciparum malaria may be accompanied by marked ADAMTS13 reduction and secondary microangiopathic features resembling TTP-spectrum manifestations. Early recognition of microangiopathic features and evaluation of ADAMTS13 activity when available may support timely diagnostic evaluation and individualized management in selected patients.

PMID 42636958
Read full article →
PubMedCell and tissue banking2026-08-20

The evaluation of biological effects of artesunate on ovarian cancer using three-dimensional cell culture methods.

Yuan Yijun Y, Luo Xiaojing X, Tang Longyu L, He Tianwen T et al.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies, with high mortality rates largely attributed to late-stage diagnosis, tumor heterogeneity, recurrence, and resistance to chemotherapy. Artesunate (ART), a water-soluble derivative traditionally used to treat malaria, has recently gained attention as a promising anticancer agent. Recently, studies have shown that ART can inhibit the migration and invasion of cancer cells. However, theses studies are always based on conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture models, which neglect the complex interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) or in vivo microenvironment. To address these challenges, in this study, honeycomb-like gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel microspheres as a three-dimensional (3D) culture platform were introduced to mimic the native ECM microenvironment and assess the effects of ART on ovarian cancer cells. The results showed that these GelMA microspheres exhibited a uniform and highly porous structure, which supported cell adhesion, proliferation, and migration. Notably, 3D culture promoted DNA synthesis and induced G1-to-S phase transition, indicating enhanced proliferative capacity. Furthermore, ovarian cancer cells cultured in 3D exhibited stronger invasive and chemoresistant phenotypes. RNA sequencing revealed that after ART treatment, tumor-related proliferation and invasion genes of ovarian cancer cells were significantly up-regulated under 3D culture compared with 2D culture. This might be related to the up-regulation of TNF signaling pathway, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, and Pl3K-Akt signaling pathway. Correspondly, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of ovarian cancer cells was markedly enhanced when cultured on GelMA hydrogel microspheres after ART treatment. These effects might be attributed to the altered microenvironment provided by the GelMA hydrogel microspheres, which could be responsible for the enhanced resistance of ovarian cancer cells to ART. These findings suggest that, compared to traditional 2D. These findings suggest that, compared to traditional 2D culture, the 3D extracellular matrix-based system better mimics the in vivo tumor architecture, thereby improving the sensitivity of anticancer drug screening and offering a more reliable platform for evaluating drug resistance and tumor cell heterogeneity.

PMID 42622742
Read full article →

+4188 more articles available with a free account

Sign up free to view all articles →

Ask about artesunate