New SUPREME initiative pairs Unitaid funding with CHAI and Amref expertise to tackle preeclampsia and anemia across seven African countries.

Geneva / Nairobi, 19 March 2026 – Magnesium sulfate can more than halve the risk of life-threatening seizures during pregnancy when given to women with severe preeclampsia. Yet despite costing less than one dollar and being recognized as the gold-standard treatment, barriers such as supply chain gaps, substandard quality, late diagnosis and untrained staff prevent many women in low- and middle-income countries from accessing it when they need it.

This is just one of more than 10 lifesaving tools that Unitaid aims to make more widely available through a new US$52.5 million investment to introduce and scale up existing interventions and emerging innovations to ensure pregnant women receive timely detection and treatment for preeclampsia and anemia. These include tools such as low-dose aspirin to prevent preeclampsia, blood-pressure screening devices, anemia diagnostics and treatments like intravenous iron.

Preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder that can cause dangerous spikes in blood pressure and seizures, causes the death of tens of thousands of women and half a million newborns each year. Anemia, commonly linked to low iron levels, affects nearly 40% of all pregnant women globally and increases the risk of serious complications including hemorrhage, preeclampsia, preterm birth and low birth weight.

“No woman should die giving life from complications we know how to prevent and treat,” said Dr. Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid. “Lifesaving medicines and diagnostics exist, yet too many women are unable to access them because of gaps in health systems. By accelerating access to both proven tools and new innovations, we can help ensure that women everywhere benefit from the advances in maternal health.”

The initiative brings together two of Africa’s most experienced global health implementers – Amref Health Africa (Amref) and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) – whose technical expertise on health systems strengthening, product development, market shaping, and supply chains will be critical to translating this investment into stronger product access and better maternal health outcomes for pre-eclampsia and maternal anemia.

“Getting the right product to the right woman at the right time is harder than it sounds – and that’s exactly the problem SUPREME is designed to solve,” said Marie Chantale Lepine, Vice President of the Global Markets Team, CHAI. “CHAI is working with partners to ensure that high-quality diagnostics and treatments for preeclampsia and anemia are developed, affordable, and made available equitably. Because turning investment into lives saved depends on what’s actually on the shelf when a woman walks through the door.”

“Too many women in Africa are still dying from pregnancy complications we already know how to prevent and treat,” said Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO of Amref Health Africa. “The medicines and diagnostics exist, but the real challenge is ensuring they reach women at the right time and in the right place. Through the SUPREME initiative, we will work with African governments, health workers and communities to embed these innovations into strong antenatal care systems that serve and protect women, no matter where they live.”

The SUPREME initiative will focus on Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal and Tanzania, working with ministries of health to strengthen antenatal care services and ensure essential maternal health tools reach facilities where they are needed most. Select activities will also take place in Nigeria and South Africa.

The initiative tackles the availability, affordability and accessibility of these tools at the same time: CHAI will work to ensure the medicines and tools women need are rigorously tested, reliably supplied and priced within reach. Amref will lead in-country activities to ensure product introduction and conduct implementation research to guide scale up of these products as part of effective models of care. Both Amref and CHAI will work with a consortium of technical partners and research organizations to support implementation, evidence generation and policy uptake.

This work builds on Unitaid’s broader portfolio targeting major causes of maternal and newborn illness and death, including severe bleeding after childbirth (postpartum hemorrhage) and eliminating vertical (mother-to-child) transmission of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B, and Chagas disease. Future investments aim to address systemic barriers to product access across the supply chain, expanding access to lifesaving maternal and newborn health products.

The SUPREME (Sustained Uptake of Products for Pre-Eclampsia and Maternal Anemia) initiative is supported by Unitaid with additional funding from the Gates Foundation. SUPREME Secure is led by CHAI with the Concept Foundation, WACI Health, the Aurum Institute, and the Burnet Institute. SUPREME Lifelines is led by Amref with Jhpiego, Solthis and Market Access Africa.

About Unitaid
Unitaid saves lives by making new health products affordable and available in low- and middle-income countries. Collaborating with partners, Unitaid identifies innovative treatments, tackles market barriers, and quickly delivers solutions to those in need. Since 2006, Unitaid has unlocked over 100 health products, addressing HIV, TB, malaria, women’s and children’s health, and pandemic preparedness. Every year, these products benefit more than 300 million people. Unitaid is a hosted partnership of the World Health Organization. www.unitaid.org

About Amref Health Africa (Amref)
Amref Health Africa, headquartered in Kenya, is the largest Africa-based international health and development organization providing training and health services to over 20 million people annually in at least 30 countries in Africa.  Amref Health Africa continues to evolve and innovate the approaches to increase sustainable health access among communities.

Amref manages a full range of medical and public health programs tackling the most critical health challenges facing the continent – including global health emergencies, communicable and non-communicable disease, neglected tropical diseases, maternal and childcare, as well as water, sanitation and climate change. Much of our credibility with local communities and African governments stems from the relationship and trust that we have built over the past 69 years. years. Our subsidiaries include Amref Flying Doctors and the Amref International University.

About CHAI
The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and improving health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries by enabling the government and private sector to strengthen and sustain quality health systems. For more information, please visit: www.clintonhealthaccess.org

Media contacts

• Kyle Wilkinson, Unitaid: +41 79 445 17 45, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Maureen Cherongis, Amref Health Africa: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Corina Milic, Clinton Health Access Initiative: +1 416 371 6313, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Research shows two novel antibiotics could spare patients from severe side effects.

Johannesburg, 01.07.2025 – Two international clinical studies led by PD Dr Norbert Heinrich at the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine at LMU University Hospital Munich with international partners have shown the safety and efficacy of two promising antibiotics as potential alternatives to linezolid in the treatment of tuberculosis.
The drugs, sutezolid and delpazolid, have demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity and a notably better safety profile compared to linezolid, with potential to replace this current cornerstone in the treatment of drug-resistant TB. The findings were published on 30 June in two peer-reviewed articles in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, one of the world’s leading journals in the field of infectious disease medicine. Research partners in Germany included the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich, the Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, the Center for International Health at LMU University Hospital and Helmholtz Munich.

The Challenge with Linezolid

In 2022, the World Health Organisation introduced linezolid as part of the BPaLM regimen, also comprising bedaquiline, pretomanid, and moxifloxacin, as the standard recommended 6-month treatment for patients with multidrug-resistant TB—reducing the duration from the previous standard 18 months. However, linezolid is problematic for patients as it shows significant toxicity. This prolonged exposure to linezolid, much longer than the originally intended use for bacterial skin infections, frequently leads to serious adverse events like anaemia or optical neuropathy, which are distressing for patients, may not resolve fully, and can require discontinuation of therapy, limiting treatment success.

“Despite its effectiveness, linezolid is simply too toxic for many patients. We urgently need safer alternatives in this antibiotic class,” says PD Dr Norbert Heinrich.

Both sutezolid and delpazolid are members of the oxazolidinone class, like linezolid, but are less toxic for patients. In two innovative Phase 2b clinical trials – SUDOCU (PanACEA Sutezolid Dose-finding and Combination Evaluation) and DECODE (PanACEA DElpazolid Dose-finding and COmbination DEvelopment) – both drugs were tested in combination with bedaquiline, delamanid, and moxifloxacin, making them the first trials to use these specific four-drug combinations. The studies, conducted in South Africa and Tanzania, showed that in patients with drug-sensitive pulmonary TB, both drugs are safer and more tolerable for patients than linezolid would be.

Key findings show better patient outcomes

Sutezolid was shown to be effective with strong antibacterial activity and was well tolerated across all tested doses, with no cases of nerve damage or blood toxicity—a critical advantage over linezolid. These results suggest sutezolid could be a safer alternative for future TB treatment regimens, particularly in long-term use, although no final dose recommendation can be made yet.

Delpazolid enhanced the effectiveness of the combination regimen with bedaquiline, delamanid, and moxifloxacin. A once-daily dose of 1200 mg achieved the desired drug levels for maximum efficacy and was well tolerated over 16 weeks. Importantly, no cases of nerve damage or blood-related side effects were observed at this dose. These results position delpazolid as a promising alternative to linezolid for future TB treatment regimens—pending confirmation in larger studies.

“These findings suggest that both drugs may offer safer treatment options for TB patients, particularly those requiring longer courses of therapy,” – noted Dr Tina Minja, National PI for the DECODE study at NIMR-Mbeya Medical Research Centre in Tanzania.

A Collaborative Global Effort

The studies were conducted as part of the PanACEA (Pan-African Consortium for the Evaluation of Anti-Tuberculosis Antibiotics) network, which includes clinical and academic partners across Africa and Europe. Both the SUDOCU and DECODE trials were innovative Phase 2b, open-label, randomized clinical studies that systematically compared different dosing levels to evaluate antibacterial activity, drug exposure, and safety profiles of sutezolid and delpazolid.

The Aurum Institute contributed through its Tembisa and Pretoria Clinical Research Sites in South Africa, where patient recruitment and pharmacokinetic sub-studies were conducted. Aurum’s involvement is part of its long-standing commitment to advancing TB treatment through clinical research.

Aurum is proud of its and collaborators’ key involvement in the trials testing sutezolid and delpazolid — new drugs known as oxazolidinones in the SUDOCU and DECODE trials. These drugs demonstrate improved tolerance over linezolid, currently used in the treatment of resistant TB, and offer significant potential for pan-TB regimens that target all strains of tuberculosis, regardless of rifampicin susceptibility. Whether they may also serve as improved alternatives to linezolid in treating Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains to be studied.

“I’m delighted to see the positive findings from these trials. Before coming to Aurum, I led Pfizer’s phase 1 and 2 studies of sutezolid. Aurum is currently conducting a phase 2c EDCTP-supported trial of three 4-month sutezolid-containing regimens for a pan-TB indication. This trial will be completed early next year.

I remain very optimistic that the promise of superior antimycobacterial activity and superior safety exhibited by sutezolid will be maintained. These new regimens have the potential to change the face of TB treatment,” said Dr Robert Wallis, former SUDOCU Principal Investigator and Chief Scientific Officer at The Aurum Institute.

Looking Ahead

The publication in The Lancet Infectious Diseases underscores the scientific relevance of these results and their potential to shape future TB treatment strategies. “Seeing fewer side effects with sutezolid and delpazolid is a significant step forward—it brings us closer to TB therapies that are both effective and easier for patients to tolerate”, commented Dr Ivan Norena, medical team lead at the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine at LMU University Hospital Munich.
Further research is now planned to evaluate sutezolid and delpazolid in larger cohorts and in fully optimised treatment combinations. If the promising results are confirmed, these drugs could play a critical role in the next generation of TB therapies, helping to reduce treatment-related side effects while maintaining efficacy.

Funding Acknowledgment

The SUDOCU study was conducted by the PanACEA consortium, funded by the EDCTP2 programme supported by the European Union with assistance from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), and Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO). Further funding was provided by the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF); Otsuka provided delamanid for this study at no cost to the consortium; and Sequella provided sutezolid active pharmaceutical ingredient at no cost.

Additionally, DECODE was funded by LigaChem Biosciences; and utilised the PanACEA consortium structures that were established with support by the funders mentioned above. Otsuka provided delamanid tablets free of charge for this project.

Further Information

Delpazolid in combination with bedaquiline, delamanid, and moxifloxacin for pulmonary tuberculosis (PanACEA-DECODE-01): a prospective, randomised, open-label, phase 2b, dose-finding trial

Sutezolid in combination with bedaquiline, delamanid, and moxifloxacin for pulmonary tuberculosis (PanACEA-SUDOCU-01): a prospective, open-label, randomised, phase 2b dose-finding trial

The patient pursuit of safe treatment options for tuberculosis (The Lancet Comment by Rubeshan Perumala and Kogieleum Naidooa) 

Lancet Inf Dis Podcast with Lilian Tina Minja and Norbert Heinrich on TB drug development 

Press Release LMU Klinikum 

JOHANNESBURG, 27 November 2024. The BAMMISHO Node, or Bafokeng Health & Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), has been officially launched as the latest South African Population Research Infrastructure Network (SAPRIN) site in the Royal Bafokeng Nation, North-West Province. Located near Rustenburg’s platinum mines, this research hub will focus on the social and health effects of mining and migration on local communities.

Dr. Kobus Herbst, SAPRIN Director, remarked, "The addition of BAMMISHO as our seventh node marks an important expansion of SAPRIN’s network. This new site will not only generate essential insights into the health and socio-economic impacts of mining and migration but also strengthen our collective research capacity to address the unique challenges facing South African communities.” Dr Kobus Herbst, SAPRIN director “welcomed BAMMISHO as the seventh and newest node in South Africa aiming to produce high-quality research and enhance research capacity."

Led by the AWISE collaboration—a partnership including Aurum Institute, Wits University, Sefako Makgatho University of Health Sciences, and Johns Hopkins University—the BAMMISHO Node is set to gather robust, long-term data on health, migration, and demographic patterns in the Bojanala District. Home-grown public health experts Professor Keitshepile Geoff Setswe and Professor Malla Mathildah Mokgatle, along with Professors Chris Hofman and Latifat Ibisomi, will guide this project, with Ms. Ireen Mosweu leading community engagement efforts.

"Our goal is to create a world-class research site that not only informs public health policies but also improves community health outcomes," said Prof. Setswe. The Node will serve as a platform for high-impact research, attracting international and local researchers while supporting Vision 2035 of the Royal Bafokeng Nation and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 on health and well-being.

Dr. Koketso Rakhudu, Kgosana of the Tsitsing village of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, welcomed the node. "This represents a significant step forward in our commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of our people, ensuring that the impact of mining and migration is thoroughly understood and addressed."

Key research activities include tracking 100,000 residents across 43,000 households to map demographic changes and health trends over time, addressing critical health challenges like HIV/AIDS, TB, chronic diseases, and the impacts of migration. The Node also aims to build a network of early-career researchers, offering financial support for smaller, community-based projects.

Dr Malebo Maponyane, Head of Health and Social Development Services at the Royal Bafokeng Nation said "The launch of the BAMMISHO Node is a pivotal moment for the Royal Bafokeng Nation. As the Head of Health and Social Development Services, I am committed to leveraging this research hub to enhance our understanding of mining and migration impacts. By prioritizing data-driven decisions, collaborating with esteemed partners, and engaging with our community, we will drive initiatives that ensure a healthier and more resilient future for all Bafokeng citizens." With three core units—implementation research and data management, clinical and laboratory research, and health systems research—the BAMMISHO Node will support studies that address urgent health and socio-economic needs while driving policy transformation for long-term community resilience.

"Through our work in the BAMMISHO Node, we aim to integrate behavioural and social research into our health initiatives, ensuring that we address the social determinants of health and improve access to services for all community members." shared Prof. Mokgatle, Head of the Department of Public Health at Sefako Makgatho University of Health Sciences

For more information, please contact Aurum Group Senior Marketing and Communications Director, Kanya Ndaki: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.(+27 832986100).

About SAPRIN

South African Population Research Infrastructure Network (SAPRIN) is a major new long-term investment in a national research infrastructure, funded by the national Department of Science, Technology, and Investment (DSTI) and hosted by the SA Medical Research Council (SAMRC). SAPRIN’s vision is equitable health and social wellbeing. Our mission is to achieve this through a dynamic and impactful research infrastructure underpinned by longitudinal population-based nodes in under-resourced communities across South Africa.

SAPRIN is a valuable resource for researchers and policymakers working to improve the health and wellbeing of South African communities. Through its focus on collaboration, partnership, and ethical research practices, SAPRIN is helping to build a more robust and responsive research infrastructure in South Africa, and to support evidence-based decision-making and policy development.

Of the seven SAPRIN nodes, four are rural and they are Agincourt (Mpumalanga), DIMAMO (Limpopo), AHRI (KwaZulu – Natal) and BAMMISHO (North – West). There are three urban nodes; GRT-INSPIRED (Gauteng), C-SHARP (Western Cape), and USINGA (KwaZulu-Natal). https://saprin.mrc.ac.za

About The Aurum Institute

The Aurum Institute is a proudly African organisation working to advance health, science, and innovation to create a healthier world for future generations. We partner with governments, the private sector and civil society to design and deliver high-quality care and treatment to people in developing communities. www.auruminstitute.org

About Wits School of Public Health

This multi-disciplinary school produces skilled public health practitioners appropriately trained to address the range of public health needs and challenges within South African and African settings. www.wits.ac.za/publichealth

Sefako Makgatho Department of Public Health

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU), as the only health sciences university in South Africa, is strategically positioned to focus on multidisciplinary health research that will provide solutions to ease the quadruple burden of disease facing the country. www.smu.ac.za/public-health-programmes

The Royal Bafokeng Nation is a community in the North West Province of South Africa, primarily known for its rich cultural heritage and significant mineral wealth, particularly platinum. The Bafokeng people have a long history dating back to the 12th century, and they are led by a hereditary king, currently Kgosi Leruo Molotlegi.

This rural nation has successfully leveraged its mineral resources to invest in infrastructure, education, and economic development, making it one of the most prosperous rural communities in South Africa. The Royal Bafokeng Administration manages these resources and initiatives, aiming to create a sustainable and self-sufficient community. https://www.bafokenginstitute.org.za

About Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University, founded in 1876 as America’s first research university, is a global leader in education, research, and innovation. With a mission to advance knowledge and foster independent thinking, Johns Hopkins is home to world-renowned faculty, groundbreaking discoveries, and transformative scholarship across disciplines.

The university's commitment to excellence spans nine academic divisions, including the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the Whiting School of Engineering, the School of Medicine, and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Johns Hopkins consistently ranks among the top universities globally, driven by its dedication to addressing complex challenges and improving lives worldwide. www.jhu.edu.