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Disease

Severe Acute Malnutrition

Late-stage therapeutic developmentEmerging research
MeSHSevere Acute Malnutrition
2
Publications
15
Clinical trials
2025
Latest publication
Latest activity
beta

Recent clinical, regulatory, research and industry developments relating to this disease.

What's happening now

An analyst briefing on current research, clinical, regulatory and industry activity surrounding this disease.

Executive briefingUpdating summary…Momentum: Low
Key developments
  • 4 clinical trials expected to report results, the earliest in Q3 2026.
  • Active recent publication activity.
Upcoming Milestones
Major developments
Upcoming trial readoutHigh impact
Co-SAM: An Adaptive Multi-arm Trial to Improve Clinical Outcomes Among Children Recovering From Complicated Severe Acute Malnutrition
Results expected Q3 20262026-03-19
Upcoming trial readoutImportant
Choline to Improve Malnutrition and Enhance Cognition
Results expected Q4 20262026-03-17
Research Highlights1View
Clinical Milestones5View
Results expected 4
Recently completed 1
Activity timeline6

Clinical trials

9 sponsors · 1 new · 1 completed in the last 12 months (net +1)

The current development programme across all trial phases.

Clinical programme
15
All trials
6
Active
5
Late-stage
6
Completed
Late-stage studies

Azithromycin as Adjunctive Treatment for Uncomplicated Severe Acute Malnutrition: the AMOUR Trial

Phase 4 · Recruiting · University of California, San Francisco

Co-SAM: An Adaptive Multi-arm Trial to Improve Clinical Outcomes Among Children Recovering From Complicated Severe Acute Malnutrition

Phase 3 · Active, not recruiting · Queen Mary University of London

Azithromycin as Adjunctive Therapy for Uncomplicated Severe Acute Malnutrition:

Phase 3 · Completed · University of California, San Francisco

Efficacy of Striatin on Weight Gain, Improvement of Acute Phase Inflammatory Marker, and the Change of Firmicutes Bacteroidetes (F/B), SCFA, BDNF Proteins in Malnourished Children: A Preliminary Study

Phase 3 · Completed · Universitas Sriwijaya

Azithromycin for Severe Acute Malnutrition in CMAM, Nigeria

Phase 3 · Terminated · University of California, San Francisco
Recently completed

Efficacy of Striatin on Weight Gain, Improvement of Acute Phase Inflammatory Marker, and the Change of Firmicutes Bacteroidetes (F/B), SCFA, BDNF Proteins in Malnourished Children: A Preliminary Study

Phase 3 · Completed · Universitas Sriwijaya

Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition in Children With Sickle Cell Disease Greater Than 5 Years of Age Living in Northern Nigeria

Phase 2 · Completed · Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Therapeutic Approaches to Malnutrition Enteropathy: Phase II Trials of Four Novel Interventions in Children in Zambia and Zimbabwe

Phase 2 · Completed · Queen Mary University of London

Improved Polyunsaturated Ready-to-use Therapeutic Food for Improved Neurocognitive Outcomes in Severe Acute Malnutrition

N/A · Completed · Washington University School of Medicine

Azithromycin as Adjunctive Therapy for Uncomplicated Severe Acute Malnutrition:

Phase 3 · Completed · University of California, San Francisco

The Effect of Routine Antibiotic Use in the Outpatient Treatment of Severely Malnourished Children Without Complications: Maradi, Niger

N/A · Completed · Epicentre

Research activity

2 papers

Key research shaping understanding of this disease, combining the latest publications with the most influential evidence.

Publications over time
20232025
Major themes3
  • Severe Acute Malnutrition2
  • Adaptation, Physiological1
  • Metabolomics1
Leading journals2
  • Nutrients1
  • Science advances1
Leading researchers8
  • Amadi B1
  • Bourke CD1
  • Bwakura-Dangarembizi M1
  • Chandwe K1
  • Chidamba L1
  • Dumbura C1
  • Freemark M1
  • Govha M1
Affiliations (unnormalised)6
  • Blizard Institute1
  • Duke Molecular Physiology Institute1
  • Duke University Medical Center1
  • University of Zambia School of Medicine1
  • University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences1
  • Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research1

Reference

Authoritative identity, definition & identifiers.

Defined in MeSH

Acute form of MALNUTRITION which usually affects children, characterized by a very low weight for height (below -3z scores of the median World Health Organization standards), visible severe wasting, or occurrence of nutritional EDEMA. It can be a direct or indirect cause of fatality in children suffering from DIARRHEA and PNEUMONIA. Do not confuse with starvation, a condition in which the body is not getting enough food, usually for extended periods of time.

Identifiers
MeSHSevere Acute Malnutrition
References & data sources
  • Disease identity & definition — NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), public domain
  • Clinical trials — ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
  • Research activity — Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) + OpenAlex-derived paper links
  • Related entities are derived from literature co-mention (studied together) — associative, not causal.