MMV applauds Novartis’ decision to reduce even further the price of Coartem and Coartem® Dispersible by an average of 5% for public sector buyers. Novartis states that this third price reduction since the beginning of its Novartis Malaria Initiative in 2001 is possible due to a consistent effort to leverage economies of scale as well as due to artemisinin price fluctuation.

On top of this 5% reduction customers will be able to benefit from a further reduction of 2% for pre-paid orders. The new average price per treatment is 76 US dollar cents and the price of the lowest dose of Coartem Dispersible for children under five years (5-15 kg body weight) is 36 US dollar cents. Coartem and Coartem Dispersible, efficacious, easy to administer, sweet-tasting ACT for children, have both developed to stringent regulatory standards. These will now be available to those in need at a more affordable price.

In addition, Novartis will encourage accurate forecasting and early order placement to help avoid stock-outs at country level and in so doing ensure access to quality ACTs for malaria patients.

Since 2001, Novartis has supplied over 250 million antimalarial Coartem treatments to over 45 endemic countries at not-for-profit prices and in so doing has contributed to saving an estimated 630,000 lives.