NANOPARTICLE-BASED formulation of dihydroartemisinin-lumefantrine duo-drugs: Preclinical Evaluation and enhanced antimalarial efficacy in a mouse model.

Artemisinin-based combinations (ACTs) are World Health Organization-recommended treatment for malaria. Artemether (A) and lumefantrine (LUM) were the first co-formulated ACT and first-line treatment for malaria globally, artemether is dihydroartemisinin's (DHA's) prodrug. Artemisinins and LUM face low aqueous solubility while artemisinin has low bioavailability and short half-life thus requiring continuous dosage to maintain adequate therapeutic drug-plasma concentration.