New Results for GSK Malaria Vaccine Suggests

The Lancet has published details of the 18-month results of the Mozambique clinical trials of GSK candidate malaria vaccine, RTS,S.Results last year showed that this vaccine reduced risk of clinical malaria, delayed time to new infection, and reduced episodes of severe malaria over 6 months in African children.The latest results show that the vaccines confers partial protection in African children aged 1–4 years living in rural endemic areas against a range of clinical disease caused by for at least 18 months, and confirm the potential of malaria vaccines to become credible control tools for public-health use.For the 18-month period of follow-up, the vaccine was found to reduce clinical malaria episodes by 35 percent and severe malaria episodes by 49 percent. (The corresponding figures after six months were 30 percent and 58 percent).The results were welcomed by the Malaria Vaccine Initiative:

"The ability of this vaccine to protect children from severe malaria for at least 18 months makes it a very promising potential public health tool for the developing world," said Dr. Melinda Moree, Ph.D., director of MVI, a global program created to overcome barriers to malaria vaccine development. "We are committed to making an affordable, safe, and effective malaria vaccine available as quickly as possible to those who need it most."

Several more years of clinical investigation will be needed before this vaccine is ready for licensure and implementation, but today's results move us an important step closer to developing a vaccine that can provide lasting protection to help save millions of lives. The world should now take all required actions in order to get this vaccine to all who need it.