Malaria 'viral' vaccine shows encouraging early results
Researchers at Oxford University have reported early positive results in a trial of a new malaria vaccine. The drug, which targets the most dangerous variety of parasite that causes the disease, was found to be 67% effective in a study of 121 men in Kenya.
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The World Health Organisation estimates that there were 198 million cases of malaria in 2013 and 584,000 deaths related to the disease. As many as 1,300 children dye in sub-Saharan Africa from malaria every day.
Scientists have been working on a vaccine to protect those most at risk for more than two decades, and recent trial results have been some of the most encouraging in 20 years of research.
%VIRTUAL-AFCSponserAds%The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, focused on two viruses - one a chimpanzee virus - to stimulate the body's immune system to produce cells that can fight against malaria. Known as a "viral vectored" vaccine, it targets the parasite in the liver.
Commenting on the study findings, Prof Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford, said: "Such high efficacy in this first field trial is encouraging for further testing in children and infants who most need a malaria vaccine."
Chris Drakeley, professor of infection and immunity and director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine malaria centre, said: "We also found initially high levels of protection in similar early trials in adults. There is no one magic bullet approach. We need a multiple approach, and countries need a tool box of options to fight against the disease."
