Breakthrough Malaria Vaccine Development
Researchers at the University of Oxford have unveiled the first vaccine targeting the blood-stage of malaria, showing promising safety and efficacy in early trials. Professor Simon Draper, an SCR Member & former Fellow at Merton, currently a Professor of Vaccinology and Translational Medicine at the University of Oxford, played a pivotal role in this achievement. His research focuses on inducing immunity to the malaria parasite during its blood stage.
'The development of an effective blood-stage malaria vaccine has proved to be an exceptionally tough scientific challenge, with previous clinical trials over a number of decades reporting no or minimal efficacy. These first efficacy results for a new generation of blood-stage vaccine candidates targeting the RH5 malaria protein are hugely encouraging and represent a major milestone for the malaria field,' said Simon.
The vaccine, RH5.1/Matrix-M™, was tested in a clinical trial involving 360 children aged 5 to 17 months in Nanoro, Burkina Faso. The results, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, showed the vaccine was well-tolerated with no safety concerns. Children who received the vaccine developed high antibody levels against the malaria parasite. Over a six-month period, those who received three doses had 55% efficacy in preventing clinical malaria. The vaccine also demonstrated over 80% efficacy in preventing severe cases of malaria.
This breakthrough complements existing liver-stage malaria vaccines, providing a vital second line of defense. Simon added, 'We now have the exciting opportunity to test the new RH5.1 blood-stage vaccine in combination with approved liver-stage vaccines to develop a second-generation product that can offer very high-level efficacy against malaria in young African children.'
