First all-oral treatment for a rare but deadly strain of sleeping sickness now available and being used to treat patients in endemic countries in Africa

A handful of patients in Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, as well as foreign travellers, have now been treated with a medicine that is revolutionizing care for patients with rhodesiense sleeping sickness

Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative

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GENEVA / LILONGWE – 13 MAY 2025 – The first all-oral treatment for Trypanosoma brucei (T.b.) rhodesiense sleeping sickness, an acute form of the disease, is now available free of charge to patients in specialized treatment centres in Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Ministries of Health in several African countries have approved the use of Fexinidazole Winthrop for T.b. rhodesiense sleeping sickness treatment.

‘Until now, the only treatment for the advanced stage of the disease involved a toxic intravenous drug that required hospitalization. Today, with this breakthrough, we have a safe and simple oral treatment that can be taken at home with minimal observation, revolutionizing care for patients. The authorization of Fexinidazole Winthrop in Malawi and several other African countries is a testament to the dedication and hard work of African doctors, clinicians, healthcare staff, and communities who contributed to its development,’ said Dr Westain Nyirenda, principal investigator of the clinical trials for Fexinidazole Winthrop in Malawi.

The clinical trials that led to Fexinidazole Winthrop’s approval were sponsored by the not-for-profit medical research organization Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi).

Sleeping sickness, or human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), is a parasitic disease transmitted by the bite of tsetse flies. It causes neuropsychiatric symptoms, including a debilitating disruption of sleep patterns and ultimately coma and death. It is almost always fatal if not treated. The T.b. rhodesiense form of the disease, which occurs in East and Southern Africa, progresses more rapidly than the T.b. gambiense form, which is endemic to Western and Central Africa.

Fexinidazole Winthrop was developed through an innovative partnership that brought together Sanofi, DNDi, national sleeping programmes, and local communities. The European Medicines Agency issued a positive scientific opinion for treatment of T.b. gambiense with Fexinidazole Winthrop in 2018. For T.b. rhodesiense sleeping sickness, DNDi led a Phase II/III clinical trial in Malawi and Uganda supported by a consortium of partners known as HAT-r-ACC that showed the treatment is a better alternative to existing drugs. 

The results led the European Medicines Agency to issue a positive scientific opinion in December 2023. Following this decision, a regulatory approval was given in May 2025 by the regulatory authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and subsequently, Malawi approved its use in December 2024. In June 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) included it as the first-choice treatment for rhodesiense sleeping sickness in its treatment guidelines. Since the beginning of 2025, importation and distribution of the drug have been approved in the five African countries listed above and received shipments from WHO. Several patients have already received this life-saving treatment in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Deadly outbreaks of rhodesiense sleeping sickness still occur, most recently in Malawi from 2019 to 2021. A localized rhodesiense outbreak in Ethiopia in 2022 – the first in 30 years – has been linked to climate and environmental changes that bring humans and animals such as cattle in closer proximity to the tsetse flies that carry the disease. Safari tourists from Europe and the US visiting the region have also fallen ill with this strain of sleeping sickness and have received Fexinidazole Winthrop under compassionate use protocols in Austria, Denmark, Poland, and the United States.

‘With climate and environmental changes increasing the risk of future rhodesiense outbreaks, we are now prepared to meet these challenges head-on with all-oral treatments, which will save lives and ease the burden on our healthcare systems in Africa,’ said Dr Junior Matangila, Head of DNDi’s sleeping sickness programme. ‘This is important, as it will be difficult to interrupt transmission of the rhodesiense form of sleeping sickness because it has an animal reservoir. On the other hand, as the reservoir of gambiense sleeping sickness is essentially human, interruption of transmission is an attainable goal. So far, eight countries have eliminated gambiense sleeping sickness as a public health problem, the latest being Guinea earlier this year.’

Fexinidazole Winthrop is recommended for adults and children aged six years or older and weighing at least 20 kg who have been diagnosed with either first-stage (haemolymphatic) or second-stage (meningoencephalitic) rhodesiense sleeping sickness in addition to the treatment of gambiense sleeping sickness approved in 2018. The all-oral treatment is donated to the WHO by Foundation S, Sanofi’s philanthropic organization, and delivered to Africa by the Médecins Sans Frontières Logistique supply centre.

‘We are thrilled to see the access and use of Fexinidazole Winthrop as the first fully oral treatment to treat rhodesiense sleeping sickness in Africa. This milestone underscores Sanofi's unwavering long-term commitment to addressing neglected tropical diseases challenges and improving patient outcomes. Through Foundation S, we are dedicated to providing innovative treatments to those who need them most, ensuring that no patient is left behind. This approval is a testament to the power of collaboration and the impact we can achieve together, contributing further to eliminate sleeping sickness,’ said Philippe Neau, Head of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Programme at Foundation S, the Sanofi collective.

The DNDi clinical trial for T.b. rhodesiense sleeping sickness was conducted by the HAT-r-ACC Consortium, with funding from the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP2) programme supported by the European Union (through the grant RIA2017NCT-1846); Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal; the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); Médecins Sans Frontières; UK International Development; and other private foundations and individuals.

ENDS.

 

About DNDi

The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) is a not-for-profit medical research organization that discovers, develops, and delivers safe, effective, and affordable treatments for neglected people. DNDi and its partners have developed three safe, effective, and accessible treatments for both forms of sleeping sickness, including the combination NECT in 2009; the first all-oral treatment Fexinidazole Winthrop for the gambiense form of sleeping sickness in 2018; and Fexinidazole Winthrop for the rhodesiense form of the disease in 2023. DNDi and Sanofi are also developing a promising, single-dose oral treatment for sleeping sickness called acoziborole that opens the door to the elimination of the disease in Africa. Since its creation in 2003, DNDi has joined with public and private partners across the globe to deliver 13 new treatments, saving millions of lives. dndi.org

About HAT-r-ACC

The HAT-r-ACC consortium brings together a broad range of partners with expertise in sleeping sickness and capacity building in remote healthcare settings. This research, training, and community engagement experience were essential to running the clinical trial in remote settings with a very small target population. The consortium partners include the Malawi Ministry of Health, the Uganda National Health Research Organisation, the Makerere University of Uganda, Epicentre (MSF) in France, the Lisbon Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in Portugal, the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement in France, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), and the WHO.

 

Researchers discover a more eco-friendly approach to study light and matter interaction – could revolutionize development of emerging technologies

University of Turku

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This image captures a laser beam interacting with polariton microcavities, revealing how polaritons help protect emitting materials from brightness loss.

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Credit: Mikael Nyberg

Researchers at the University of Turku in Finland have developed a simple method to explore a complex area of quantum science. The discovery makes research in this field cheaper and more accessible, which could significantly impact the development of future laser, quantum and high-tech display technologies.

A team of researchers developed a new method for fabricating small structures known as optical microcavities. These structures allow scientists to study how light interacts with matter in a very precise process that can lead to the creation of novel quantum states called polaritons. Polaritons are unusual hybrid particles made from light and matter.

This innovative approach provides a low-cost, energy-efficient alternative to traditional vacuum-based fabrication, making quantum and photonics research more accessible.

Polariton microcavities are fundamental for understanding the interactions between light and matter. Moreover, they are crucial for emerging technologies, including ultra-efficient lasers, quantum optics, and next-generation screens. Until now, conventional fabrication has required expensive and energy-intensive vacuum deposition processes, such as sputtering and evaporation. This has limited the technology’s scalability and accessibility.

Now, the researchers have revolutionized the field by introducing a solution-processed method that utilizes a basic dip coating and spin coating technique to fabricate polariton microcavity without the need for expensive vacuum-based techniques.

"Our approach makes it a lot easier to study strong light-matter interactions, because we offer a method that is simple, cheap, and far less energy-intensive than existing methods. We have eliminated the need for vacuum-based techniques without compromising performance, and that makes strong light-matter interaction studies more accessible to the researchers," says Associate Professor Konstantinos Daskalakis.

Beyond simplifying fabrication, the researchers managed to directly measure emitted light from polaritons. This provides significant insight into polariton dynamics.

This capability allowed the team to observe polaritons suppressing bimolecular annihilation in organic emitters—a key process that reduces light emission efficiency and contributes to long-term material degradation.

“Being able to measure light coming from polaritons made it possible for us to see how the presence of polaritons reduces emission bleaching. This is a critical step in understanding and improving the performance of polaritonic devices,” explains Doctoral Researcher Hassan Ali Qureshi.

With this innovative approach of combining accessibility, energy efficiency, and observing the polariton dynamics, the researchers have significantly expanded the potential of polariton microcavity research. This method also opens new possibilities for studying sensitive organic materials and developing more stable, efficient light-emitting technologies.

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Journal

Advanced Optical Materials

DOI

10.1002/adom.202500155 

Article Title

Giant Rabi Splitting and Polariton Photoluminescence in an all Solution-Deposited Dielectric Microcavity

 

New study finds that tea and chocolate may help lower blood pressure 

SOUNDS LIKE THE TITLE OF A MERCHANT IVORY FILM

University of Surrey

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We might have another reason to enjoy our daily cup of tea or small piece of dark chocolate, as a new study from the University of Surrey has found that naturally occurring compounds called flavan-3-ols – found in cocoa, tea, apples and grapes – may improve blood pressure and the health of our blood vessels. 

The research, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, analysed data from 145 randomised controlled studies, and found that regular consumption of flavan-3-ols can lead to a reduction in blood pressure readings, particularly in people with elevated or high blood pressure. In some cases, the average blood pressure-lowering effects were comparable to those seen with some medications. 

Flavan-3-ols were also found to improve the function of the endothelium - the inner lining of blood vessels - which is crucial for overall cardiovascular health. This improvement occurred independently of blood pressure changes, suggesting a broader positive impact on the circulatory system. 

Professor Christian Heiss, lead-author of the study and Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Surrey, said: 

“The findings are encouraging for those looking for accessible ways to manage their blood pressure and support their heart health through enjoyable dietary changes. Incorporating small amounts of commonly consumed foods like tea, apples, dark chocolate, or cocoa powder into a daily balanced diet could provide beneficial amounts of flavan-3-ols.  

“While not a replacement for prescribed medications or medical advice, including more flavan-3-ol-rich foods in a daily routine could be a valuable addition to a healthy lifestyle, especially for those with higher blood pressure. These are findings that, although promising, require ongoing investigation.” 

[ENDS] 

 

• The full paper is available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf173 

• An image of Professor Heiss is available upon request. 

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Journal

European Journal of Preventive Cardiology

DOI

10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf173 

 

Researchers from Incheon National University unpack audience costs in US allies’ foreign policy choices

Domestic public opinion shapes the credibility of alignment commitments amid US-China strategic competition

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Incheon National University

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INU study shows how public opinion influences US allies’ foreign policy choices amid rising tensions between the US and China.

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Credit: USEmbassyPhnomPenh from Openverse Image source link: https://openverse.org/image/ec3e294b-826f-430a-89e7-e1c54f812ca0?q=foreign+policy+Asian&p=200

In an era marked by rising strategic rivalry between the United States and China, allied democracies face increasingly complex foreign policy decisions. While many of these nations depend on U.S. military protection, they also rely heavily on China for economic growth—making alignment decisions a matter not only of international strategy, but also domestic political pressure.

To explore this tension, a team of researchers from Incheon National University, led by Assistant Professor Kyung Suk Lee, conducted a comprehensive study on how audience costs—political consequences for leaders who reverse public commitments—shape foreign policy choices. The study was published in the journal Contemporary Security Policy on March 20, 2025.

“Our research offers groundbreaking insights into how audience costs significantly affect US allies' foreign policy decisions amid US-China strategic competition, explaining both their initial hesitation to make clear alignment choices (strategic hedging) and the credibility of their commitments once made,” explains Dr. Lee, the lead author of the study.

The researchers used a national survey experiment focused on South Korea’s debate over joining the Quad, a U.S.-led strategic group. Their approach assessed how the public responds to leaders’ foreign policy reversals, revealing that leaders face substantial domestic backlash when they renege on prior alignment decisions—especially among citizens with strong pro-U.S. views.

The study found that over 90% of respondents viewed the alliance with the United States as vital to South Korea’s national security, economy, and global standing. This public sentiment increases the political cost of foreign policy inconsistency and discourages leaders from shiftingcourse once alignment decisions are declared.

“This suggests that prevailing pro-US sentiment among US allies enhances the credibility of their alignment commitments,” said Dr. Lee. “Though shifting domestic preferences toward China could potentially incentivize them to reverse these commitments.”

Importantly, the study highlights how these audience costs are not uniform. Citizens who lean toward China tend to tolerate—or even reward—alignment reversals, whereas those aligned with the U.S. strongly oppose them. This variation creates a complex domestic landscape in which leaders must carefully gauge public sentiment before committing to a side.

“U.S. strategists competing with China for influence might recognize that focusing on public opinion in allied nations is vital,” Dr. Lee notes.

As power dynamics evolve in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, the study points to a critical insight: in democratic allies, foreign policy alignment is ultimately shaped not just by strategic logic—but by the will of the people.

 

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Reference

Authors: Kyung Suk Lee1, Hankyeul Yang2, and Daekwon Son3

Title of original paper: US allies’ foreign policy alignment in an era of great power competition: An analysis of domestic politics

Journal: Contemporary Security Policy

DOI: 10.1080/13523260.2025.2474872

Affiliations:        

1Department of Political Science and International Studies, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea

2Department of Political Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA  

3Graduate School of International Studies, Sogang University, Seoul, South Korea

*Corresponding author’s email: sondaekwon@sogang.ac.kr

 

About Incheon National University

Incheon National University (INU) is a comprehensive, student-focused university. It was founded in 1979 and given university status in 1988. One of the largest universities in South Korea, it houses nearly 14,000 students and 500 faculty members. In 2010, INU merged with Incheon City College to expand capacity and open more curricula. With its commitment to academic excellence and an unrelenting devotion to innovative research, INU offers its students real-world internship experiences. INU not only focuses on studying and learning but also strives to provide a supportive environment for students to follow their passion, grow, and, as their slogan says, be INspired.

Website: http://www.inu.ac.kr/mbshome/mbs/inuengl/index.html

 

About Assistant Professor Kyung Suk Lee

Dr. Kyung Suk Lee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Studies at Incheon National University, South Korea. He earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from Texas A&M University. His research interests include international security, alliance politics, nuclear issues, and public and elite opinion on global affairs. His work has been published in top peer-reviewed journals such as Contemporary Security Policy and International Studies Quarterly. Prior to joining Incheon National University, he was a research associate at the Korea Institute for National Unification and a Korea Foundation fellow at Pacific Forum CSIS.

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Journal

Contemporary Security Policy

DOI

10.1080/13523260.2025.2474872 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

US allies’ foreign policy alignment in an era of great power competition: An analysis of domestic politics

 

Ending poverty without compromising climate goals

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis

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With climate change intensifying and billions of people still lacking basic necessities, addressing both challenges simultaneously is not only possible but essential. New research highlights that meeting global climate targets while ensuring decent living standards for all can be achieved, provided that emissions reductions are implemented quickly and decisively.

The study, led by Jarmo Kikstra, a researcher in the IIASA Energy, Climate, and Environment Program, and published in Environmental Research Letters, examines energy scenarios that align with the aims of both the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. The authors analyzed whether these scenarios provide sufficient energy for all people globally to enjoy essential services, such as heating and cooling homes, clean cooking, transportation, education, and healthcare.

“Our goal is to understand what it takes to eliminate extreme poverty while also advancing climate action,” explains Kikstra. “We’re not just talking about lifting people out of extreme poverty; we’re looking at futures with high development ambition, ensuring decent living standards as a minimum for everyone worldwide.”

The researchers used the new DESIRE model to compare energy scenarios that prioritize sustainable development to those that continue past trends. One striking finding is that sustainable development scenarios significantly reduce the number of people consuming less than the minimum required energy for basic needs. Under these scenarios, the number of people that do not have enough energy to meet their basic household needs is projected to decrease by over 90% – a much faster rate of progress than what would be achieved by continuing current trends.

Moreover, the research highlights that the emissions required to support decent living standards are much smaller than total emissions.

“Our findings challenge the notion that eradicating poverty and protecting the planet are conflicting goals. In fact, the energy needed to ensure basic human dignity is small compared to what is currently consumed globally,” Kikstra adds. “Even so, such a sustainable development trajectory means growth rates in low-income countries much higher than we have seen. It requires appropriate development efforts and international support.”

Transformative Institutional and Social Solutions Research Group Leader and study coauthor, Shonali Pachauri, points out that it is important to capture three different ways to make sure that everyone can get sufficient resources – growth, efficiency, and reducing inequality.

“Not only should there be more services where they are needed, it is also very important to improve how services are provided, and to make sure that resources are not wasted, but allocated to those who need them,” she notes.

“Our study is the first to connect detailed studies on energy needs to global integrated modeling for emissions reductions. If done well, future energy needs could be about at least a third lower, while emissions are brought to zero,” adds study coauthor Bas van Ruijven, who leads the Sustainable Service Systems Research Group at IIASA.

The authors emphasize the importance of combining development and climate action, but note that, if effective climate policies are not implemented, even the bare minimum of meeting basic needs would not be possible without surpassing the Paris Agreement’s limits.

One of the study’s key takeaways is that only around one-third of global energy would be required to support decent living standards, while the remaining two-thirds of energy consumption is used for purposes beyond fulfilling basic needs. In such a future, which could be less than two decades away, more than half of the global population – including in low-income countries – achieves living standards more than twice as high as the minimum decent living standards benchmark for the buildings sector. This demonstrates that a just and livable future for all is possible while meeting climate targets.

“Providing the services that people need worldwide is unlikely to destroy the planet – at least not from an energy perspective. Meeting climate objectives and ensuring decent living for all is within our reach, but it requires immediate and decisive action to reduce emissions,” Kikstra concludes.

Reference
Kikstra, J.S., Daioglou, V., Min, J., Sferra, F., Soergel, B., Kriegler, E., Lee, H., Mastrucci, A., Pachauri, S., Rao, N., Rauner, S., van Vuuren, D., Riahi, K., van Ruijven, B., Rogelj, J. (2025). Closing decent living gaps in energy and emissions scenarios: introducing DESIRE. Environmental Research Letters DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/adc3ad

 

About IIASA:
The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) is an international scientific institute that conducts research into the critical issues of global environmental, economic, technological, and social change that we face in the twenty-first century. Our findings provide valuable options to policymakers to shape the future of our changing world. IIASA is independent and funded by prestigious research funding agencies in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. www.iiasa.ac.at

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Journal

Environmental Research Letters

DOI

10.1088/1748-9326/adc3ad 

Article Title

Closing decent living gaps in energy and emissions scenarios: introducing DESIRE

 

Controlling coaching tactics shatter athletes' wellbeing, says new study

University of Surrey

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Controlling coaching styles disrupt athletes leaving them vulnerable to physical and psychological strain, according to a new study from the University of Surrey and the Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada.  

This exposes a critical flaw in current sporting culture that prioritises results over athlete welfare. The research argues that coaches who micromanage and belittle athletes are fuelling both acute stress and burnout in their teams.  

The study, published in Motivation and Emotion, tracked 72 student-athletes from Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada, using daily diaries to capture their experiences and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements to assess their stress responses. This combination of psychological and physiological data provides a comprehensive picture of how coaching behaviours seep into athletes' daily experiences, affecting their motivation and mental state. Researchers analysed how athletes perceived their coaches' behaviour and then linked these perceptions to both their psychological needs (satisfaction or frustration) and their psychobiological health. 

Autonomy-supportive coaches – those encouraging choice and collaboration – boosted athletes’ mental resilience. In contrast, controlling tactics like public criticism and arbitrary punishments spiked acute stress and eroded long-term wellbeing. 

Dr Sebastiano Massaro, Associate Professor of Organizational Neuroscience and co-author of the study at the University of Surrey said: 

"It's heart-breaking to see how these controlling tactics, often masked as 'discipline' or 'tough love', are fundamentally damaging our athletes. 

Florence Jauvine, at the Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada, added: 

"We're not just talking about hurt feelings; we're seeing measurable increases in stress and burnout that can have long-term consequences for their careers and their lives." 

The research highlights a crucial counterpoint: when coaches support athletes' autonomy – giving them choices, acknowledging their perspectives, and encouraging their growth – it fuels their psychological needs, leading to greater engagement and acting as a buffer against burnout. The data shows a powerful connection between autonomy-supportive coaching, need satisfaction, and positive athlete outcomes. 

Dr Sebastiano Massaro continued: 

“We urge sporting organisations and governing bodies to implement urgent changes. This includes mandatory training for coaches at all levels, focusing on autonomy support and the detrimental effects of controlling behaviours. A shift in emphasis is required, moving away from a win-at-all-costs mentality towards a model that prioritises the holistic well-being of athletes.” 

[ENDS] 

• Dr Sebastiano Massaro is available for interview, please contact mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk to arrange.   

• The full paper is available in Motivation and Emotion  

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Journal

Motivation and Emotion

DOI

10.1007/s11031-025-10120-6 

Article Title

“Beating as one”: the effect of coaches’ behaviors on athletes’ psychobiological wellbeing through the lens of self-determination theory