In September 2022, MedAccess and PATH partnered with SD Biosensor to secure supply of its G6PD testing devices and strips. This will help doctors administer the most effective treatment for P. vivax malaria to people with G6PD deficiency.
Following the exit of multiple products, SD Biosensor is currently the only point-of-care G6PD test manufacturer in the market. This partnership will ensure continued supply of SD Biosensor’s product and offer a reduced price in low-and-middle-income countries.
Lives changed: Estimates for treatment eligibility were derived from projections by Watson et al. Estimates of treatment outcomes were derived from a 2020 meta-analysis by Rodrigo et al.
Money saved: Impact is based on actual price reductions for G6PD tests over the course of the volume guarantee.
Markets shaped: We work with partners, including donors, procurers and ministries of health, to track changes in health markets where our investments are supporting access to products. We monitor for changes to policy, procurement practices and supplier movement, all of which affect markets and contribute to the long-term sustainability of impact.
P. vivax causes around 6.4 million cases of malaria every year. Eradication is challenging because despite treatment, the parasite often persists in the patient’s liver, causing reinfection and relapse.
For complete treatment of P. vivax malaria, known as ‘radical cure’, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends chloroquine or artemisinin combination therapy followed by a course of 8-aminoquinoline drugs – primaquine or tafenoquine – to treat liver-stage infection. However, 8-aminoquinoline drugs can trigger a severe blood disorder known as haemolytic anaemia in patients who are deficient in the enzyme glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), a condition that affects over 400 million people worldwide.
To avoid administering 8-aminoquinoline drugs incorrectly to G6PD deficient patients, the WHO recommends conducting a G6PD deficiency test prior to treatment. This is especially critical for tafenoquine, as it is a single dose treatment, and the drug remains in the body for several days after intake.
However, this recommendation has not been adopted in many countries, as point-of-care G6PD tests are not widely available. As a result, doctors are often cautious, prescribing lower doses of 8-aminoquinoline drugs taken over longer periods or none at all. Longer treatment can lead to patients stopping when they feel better, despite the infection not being cleared.
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