Artemisine MedicinesWhy AL became the world's leading ACT
Artemether-lumefantrine (AL) is the most widely used artemisinin-based combination therapy in the world. It combines artemether, which clears parasites fast, with lumefantrine, which stays in the blood for days to finish the job. It is the first-line treatment for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in most endemic countries, and the backbone of public-sector malaria tenders.
The 3-day, 6-dose schedule
- One dose is taken twice a day for 3 days — 6 doses in total.
- The number of tablets per dose depends on body weight bands; pediatric tablets and high-strength adult tablets (e.g. 80/480 mg) cover the full range.
- Take with fat: a fatty meal, milk or breast milk significantly improves lumefantrine absorption and cure rates.
WHO guidance for special groups
- Pregnancy: WHO recommends AL for uncomplicated malaria in all trimesters, including the first (recommendation updated in 2022) — an important shift that simplified national guidelines.
- Infants under 5 kg: the 2026 WHO guideline states these babies should receive an ACT at the same mg/kg target dose as 5 kg children, and highlights a new AL formulation (ratio 1:12) for babies under 5 kg that received regulatory approval in 2025.
- Travellers: non-immune travellers with confirmed malaria should also receive an ACT such as AL.
Procurement checklist
- Confirm strength (e.g. 20/120 mg vs 80/480 mg) matches your program's weight bands.
- Ask for dispersible pediatric options where swallowing is difficult.
- Require batch COA, stability data and CTD dossier for registration.
Source: summarised in plain language from the WHO Guidelines for Malaria (10 September 2026), World Health Organization. This guide is for buyer education only — clinical decisions must follow the locally approved product insert and national treatment guidelines.
