Advanced Life Sciences Holdings has announced positive results from in-vitro and in-vivo studies to evaluate the efficacy of Restanza (cethromycin), an anti-malarial oral antibiotic.

The study, which compared cethromycin with azithromycin, demonstrated two to ten-fold greater efficacy against Plasmodium falciparum species that are responsible for malaria.

The company stated that it aims to generate a portfolio of indications to be developed and commercialised either on its own or in collaboration with pharmaceutical firms, having established anti-infective franchises.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there are about 500 million cases of malaria annually, resulting in over a million deaths.