As the new year arrived, so did an antibiotic: Zosurabalpin. Founded by Roche, tested by Havard, praised by scientists broadly, the antibiotic has the potential to provide relief against one of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) critical priority pathogens. Diseases caused by such pathogens infect over one million people annually, North Africa clocking close to 90% resistance rates. Zosurabalpin is only in early testing stages, but the novel antibiotic is already demonstrating the potential to provide significant aid in North Africa by fighting drug-resistant disease on the global stage.

Northern Africa

North Africa has the lowest rates of poverty across Africa, achieving, in 2019, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of 3% in poverty. Post-COVID, during the years 2021-2023, the region has maintained a steady GDP growth at close to 4.0%, 4.5% and 4.2% respectively. However, these figures mask the continued struggle against poverty that North Africa endures.

Of the seven North African countries, Sudan has the highest poverty rates with an estimated 35% living in conditions of extreme poverty. That figure is projected to rise as we head towards 2025, and more than half of the 42 million people living in Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco account for close to half of North Africa’s population but only 25% of the region’s GDP. In addition, dwindling economies and lack of job opportunities continue to remain areas of concern. The prospect of extreme poverty threatens to rear its head, going by current data.

Health Care in North Africa

The geography of North Africa significantly influences its health care infrastructure, or lack thereof. Being the least connected to other regions of the continent makes it difficult for North Africa to collaborate and benefit from any progressive medical approaches that have served other regions well.

Of the North African countries, Egypt possesses an advanced ability to manufacture vaccines and other pharmaceuticals. The $450 million World Bank investment into providing ambitious health reforms and services for all in Morocco is a significant step toward enhancing health care initiatives in the North African region.

The Pitfalls of Health Care in North Africa

Despite concerted efforts, what persists throughout hospitals in North Africa is suboptimal antibiotic stewardship and sparse surveillance data. These factors make critical priority WHO diseases such as Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) become a major concern.

CRAB diseases are up to 90% resistant to treatment in North Africa. Besides manifesting as pneumonia and killing hundreds of thousands across Africa each year, CRAB diseases mainly attack the respiratory system, and respiratory infections constitute close to 10% of all deaths in North Africa.

Zosurabalpin and Its Potential

The novel antibiotic, Zosurabalpin, offers some hope against these worrying numbers. Founded by Swiss pharma company, Roche, this new antibiotic hopes to shift medical discourse globally and have an immense impact in North Africa.

In early trials it has shown to be an effective treatment against the very diseases that have high rates of mortality in North Africa, namely, the highly resistant strains of CRAB manifesting as pneumonia and sepsis.

Since its announcement on January 3, 2024, Zosurabalpin has gained mass support from the global scientific community, and Harvard has become involved in the testing stages too.

Zosurabalpin in 2024

Due to the lengthy period and the many stages of antibiotic testing, it is a given that the rolling out of the novel antibiotic is a multi-year goal.

However, the medical properties of Zosurabalpin cannot be ignored. Not only could the antibiotic bring with it a fresh approach to hospital protocol, but also a relief to drug-resistant disease in North Africa. Both bring hope for the future of mortality rates on the African continent to be one of steady decline.

– Joseph Wray
Photo: Flickr