Malaria Vaccine Study

The Burden of Malaria

Half of the world's population is at risk of malaria, a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. Every year, an estimated 250 million cases leads to nearly 1 million deaths—most of them children under 5 years of age. Ninety percent of malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, where the economic and social costs of the disease represent a major obstacle to economic development.

The Need for New Prevention and Control Methods

By using a combined set of safe and effective prevention and control interventions—including mosquito nets, insecticide, and medication—the impact of malaria can be reduced.

However, in many areas, particularly West Africa, malaria mosquitoes are becoming increasingly resistant to insecticides used in bed nets and sprays. What’s more, today’s drugs are expensive for people in poor countries and malaria parasites are showing signs of resistance to them.

The best long-term hope to defeat malaria is the development of a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine. This would be particularly beneficial for those most at risk: infants, children, and pregnant women in malaria-endemic areas.

AMP Efforts to Support Malaria Vaccine Development

In recent years, new investments in malaria control have brought a malaria vaccine within reach. AMP is currently supporting efforts to make this life-saving vaccine a reality. In May 2010, we teamed up with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Biologicals to pursue the late-stage clinical development of their RTS,S malaria candidate vaccine. We will conduct a post-marketing surveillance study to monitor vaccine safety and effectiveness in infants and children in various African countries. PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) has also been involved in the development process since 2001.

If the vaccine proves effective, it may be introduced in routine immunization of infants and children in malaria-endemic areas as part of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI).

AMP is hopeful that malaria vaccines—developed by GSK or other partners—will protect hundreds of thousands of people from illness and death every year.