Artequin Paediatric

Artequin Paediatric is a fixed-dose combination antimalarial drug developed by Mepha Ltd. (a subsidiary of Teva) for the treatment of uncomplicated *Plasmodium falciparum* malaria in children weighing 10-20 kg. The formulation consists of mango-flavored granules delivered in a stickpack format, containing 50 mg of artesunate and 125 mg of mefloquine hydrochloride per dose. Artesunate, an artemisinin derivative, provides rapid reduction of parasite biomass by generating reactive free radicals upon interaction with heme, which leads to the alkylation of parasite proteins and membranes. Mefloquine, a quinoline antimalarial, ensures long-lasting parasite clearance by interfering with the detoxification of heme into hemozoin within the parasite's food vacuole. This combination is administered once daily for three consecutive days and has demonstrated high efficacy and a favorable safety profile in clinical trials conducted in West Africa.

Brand names

Artequin PaediatricArtequin

Other names

artesunate + mefloquineartesunate/mefloquine fixed-dose combination