The World’s First Malaria Vaccine Program for Children Starts Now

Malaria expert Brian Greenwood had once resigned himself to the possibility that a successful vaccine for the disease might not become available in his lifetime. Now, at 86 years old, the moment hes … [read more]

Background

One of the most advanced malaria vaccine candidates is known as RTS,S/AS01. This vaccine was developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in partnership with the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative and other collaborators. RTS,S/AS01 is intended to protect against Plasmodium falciparum, one of the parasites that causes malaria.

Clinical trials for RTS,S/AS01 have shown variable levels of efficacy in different age groups and regions. The vaccine received a positive scientific opinion from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2015, and in 2019, it was recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for pilot implementation in selected areas of sub-Saharan Africa with moderate to high malaria transmission.

It’s important to highlight that while the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine has been a significant development in the field, it is not a perfect solution, and efforts to improve malaria vaccine candidates and develop new approaches continue.

Research and development in the field of malaria vaccines are ongoing, and new candidates are being explored. Scientists are working to address challenges such as the complex life cycle of the malaria parasite and the variability of the parasite in different regions.