The development of malaria vaccines and therapeutics involves a multi-disciplinary approach, integrating molecular biology, immunology, and preclinical research. By focusing on innovative approaches and rigorous scientific methods, our company is well-positioned to provide specialized solutions for the development of malaria vaccines and therapeutics.
Overview of Malaria
Malaria, a life-threatening infectious illness caused by protozoan parasites of the Plasmodium genus, is primarily spread to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Among the five Plasmodium species that infect humans, Plasmodium falciparum is known for causing the most severe forms of the disease and the majority of malaria-related fatalities. As reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), there were approximately 241 million malaria cases worldwide in 2020, leading to around 627,000 deaths, predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa. Symptoms of malaria include fever, chills, sweats, headaches, nausea, and vomiting, typically emerging 10 to 15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Fig.1 Interactions between Plasmodium parasites and the human endothelium. (Milner D. A., 2018)
Vaccine Development for Malaria
The development of a malaria vaccine has been a challenging pursuit due to the complex life cycle of the malaria parasite and its ability to evade the human immune system. However, significant strides have been made in recent years, with the RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix) vaccine being the first to receive a positive scientific opinion from the European Medicines Agency in 2015.
Table 1. Current malaria vaccines in clinical trials. (Frimpong A., et al., 2018)
| Vaccine candidate |
Clinical trial registration number |
Clinical trial stage |
| PRE-ERYTHROCYTIC |
| RTS,S/AS01 |
NCT01345240 |
Phase 3 |
| R21/AS01B |
NCT02600975 |
Phase 1 |
| R21/ME-TRAP |
NCT02905019 |
Phase 2 |
| ChAd63/MVA ME-TRAP |
NCT01635647 |
Phase 2 |
| R21/Matrix-M1 |
NCT02572388/NCT02925403 |
Phase 1/2 |
| PfSPZ Vaccine |
NCT03510481 |
Phase 1 |
| PfSPZ-CVac (PfSPZ Challenge + chloroquine or + chloroquine/pyrimethamine |
NCT03083847 |
Phase 1 |
| GAP 3KO (52-/36-/sap1-) |
NCT02313376 |
Phase 1 |
| BLOOD-STAGE |
| pfAMA1-DiCo |
NCT02014727 |
Phase 1 |
| P27A |
NCT01949909 |
Phase 2 |
| PAMVAC |
NCT02647489 |
Phase 1 |
| PRIMVAC |
NCT02658253 |
Phase 1 |
| SEXUAL-STAGE |
| ChAd63 Pfs25-IMX313/MVA Pfs25-IMX313 |
NCT02532049 |
Phase 1 |
| Pfs25-EPA/Alhydrogel |
NCT01867463, 51 |
Phase 1 |
| Pfs230D1M-EPA/Alhydrogel and/or Pfs25-EPA/Alhydroge |
NCT02334462 |
Phase 1 |
| Pfs25M-EPA/AS01 and/or Pfs230D1M-EPA/ASOI |
NCT02942277 |
Phase 1 |
| Pfs25 VLP-FhCMB |
NCT02013687 |
Phase 1 |
| Pfs25-Pfs25 |
NCT00977899 |
Phase 1 |
| Pfs25 & Pvs/Monatide ISA 51 |
NCT00295581 |
Phase 1 |
Therapeutics Development for Malaria
The development of effective drugs and therapies against malaria is crucial due to the increasing resistance of Plasmodium parasites to existing therapeutics like chloroquine and artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). New drugs are being developed to target different stages of the parasite's life cycle and to overcome resistance mechanisms.
This combination therapy is in Phase 2b trials and represents a new class of ozonides with a unique mechanism of action.
KAF156 is a novel imidazolopiperazine compound with multi-stage activity against the malaria parasite.
As a 8-aminoquinoline, tafenoquine is designed to prevent relapses of Plasmodium vivax malaria by targeting the dormant liver stages (hypnozoites).
Our Services
Our company offers a comprehensive suite of services aimed at accelerating the development of malaria vaccines and therapeutics. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies and a deep understanding of malaria parasite biology, we support our clients from the earliest stages of research through to preclinical development.
Disease Models
- P. berghei (P. yoelii, P. chabaudi, or P. vinckei) Infection Rodent Models
- P. falciparum Infection Humanized Mouse Models
- P. Knowlesi (P. coatneyi) Infection Non-human Primate Models
Preclinical Research
- Pharmacodynamics Study Services
- Pharmacokinetics Study Services
- Drug Safety Evaluation Services
- Customized Research Services
By combining these services with our expertise in malaria research, we are well-positioned to contribute to the global effort to develop effective vaccines and therapies against this devastating disease. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.
References
- Milner, Danny A. "Malaria pathogenesis." Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine 8.1 (2018): a025569.
- Frimpong, Augustina, et al. "Novel strategies for malaria vaccine design." Frontiers in immunology 9 (2018): 2769.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use
only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
