A study which was published on 8 November in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) portrays another imposing achievement for the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research (PNGIMR) with the solution of a new treatment killing microscopic larval worms in people diagnosed with lymphatic filariasis (LF).
According to one of the principal investigator of the study, Leanne Robinson, the findings published in NEJM represent a substantial step forward in providing evidence on the safety and superior efficacy of a triple-drug combination.
“This study paved the way for PNGIMR to lead a larger community randomized safety, efficacy and effectiveness trial in the Dreikikir District of East Sepik and Bogia District of Madang Province. PNGIMR is working alongside the PNG National LF Control Program and international collaborators to try and find more efficient mass drug administration strategies to accelerate the control and elimination of lymphatic filariasis in PNG,” she said.
Collectively, all findings of the study presented in the Journal indicate that the three-drug regimen produces constant clearance of microscopic worms in almost all persons who receive the treatment.
Another principal investigator of the study Professor Christopher King, from Case Western Reserve concluded that, after working on lymphatic filariasis for over 25 years in PNG, it is very gratifying to see a pathway for its eventual elimination in the next few years.
