The Infectious Disease Research Institute and United States Agency for International Development have reached a memorandum of understanding to develop a new malaria vaccine in partnership with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. The collaborators will use Walter Reed's CelTOS malaria antigen in conjunction with an adjuvant, GLA-SE, from IDRI.
"The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research is pleased that both IDRI and USAID have partnered with us in helping support the development of malaria vaccines to prevent infection in children worldwide and to protect our men and women serving in uniform in areas of the world where malaria is still a major infectious disease," said COL Christian Ockenhouse, director of Walter Reed's Malaria Vaccine Development Program, in a release.
So far, a vaccine candidate using the antigen and adjuvant proved promising in preclinical studies, stimulating a good immune response to multiple malaria strains. The trial will receive funding from the Gates Foundation, thanks to a grant from the foundation to IDRI.
- see the release