Scientists at the U. S. National Institutes of Health have reported that only one dose os a new experimental drug could cure malaria. This disease is spread by nigh-biting mosquitoes which infect people with parasite when they feed.

A team of scientists from all over the world have found a new drug now called NITD609 which is effective against the two most common parasites responsible for malaria.

It was found that in mice different parasite proteins are targeted from other anti-malarial drugs and one oral dose was enough to clear the tropical disease.

The Daily Mail quoted Rick Davis, of the Wellcome Trust said, “A single-dose cure would go a long way to addressing the unmet medical need in malaria, and we look forward to seeing how this compound performs in clinical trials.”

This new drug has properties which can make it possible to manufacture them in pill form in large quantities.

“If NITD609 behaved similarly in people, it could be developed into a drug that could be taken just once - far easier than current standard treatments in which malaria drugs are taken between one and four times a day for up to seven days,” said Elizabeth Winzeler.