MALARIA VACCINES - CURRENT STATUS

In recent years, many malaria parasite genes and proteins specific for different stages of the plasmodium life cycle have been identified, sequenced, expressed and characterised in terms of their biological and immunological properties. Antibodies to certain full length proteins or fragments thereof have been shown to inhibit parasite growth, either in vitro or in vivo. Thus, these antigens hold considerable promise for testing as candidate vaccines. Several of them are at an advanced stage of development, with phase I/II human clinical trials underway or expected for the near future.