MELAKA: Malaysia will lead the development of clinical trials of several existing medicines used for other diseases to treat dengue fever in the country.

       Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the trials would be conducted in the country through Clinical Research Malaysia (CRM) and expected to take between six months and a year before the drug was registered as a cure for dengue if it was effective in treating the disease.

       "This effort involves collaboration between Malaysia and an NGO Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) as well as several other countries such as Brazil and India to see the effectiveness of existing drugs to treat dengue.

       "We have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) through CRM to carry out the clinical trial and it is expected to start in a few months," he told reporters here on Sunday (June 5).

       He said this at the Asean Dengue Day celebration and the national-level Gotong-Royong Mega 1.0 Perangi Aedes which were launched by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali. - Bernama