mefloquine + dihydroartemisinin + piperaquine

Mefloquine + dihydroartemisinin + piperaquine is an investigational triple artemisinin-based combination therapy (triple ACT) developed by the University of Oxford for the treatment of multidrug-resistant *Plasmodium falciparum* malaria. This combination therapy integrates three small-molecule antimalarial agents with distinct mechanisms: dihydroartemisinin (an artemisinin derivative), piperaquine (a bisquinoline), and mefloquine (a quinoline methanol). Artemisinins act rapidly by generating free radicals and alkylating heme, while piperaquine and mefloquine are long-acting blood schizonticides that interfere with heme detoxification within the parasite's food vacuole. The triple combination is specifically designed to overcome resistance to standard artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in regions like Southeast Asia. Clinical evaluation has focused on pharmacokinetic interactions and safety, demonstrating that the addition of mefloquine is generally well-tolerated without significantly increasing cardiotoxicity compared to dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine alone.

Other names

triple artemisinin-based combination therapytriple ACTdihydroartemisinin-piperaquine + mefloquine