Anti-Malaria Vaccination could be Widely Available by 2016
British pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline is seeking approval of the world's first anti-malaria vaccination. GSK scientists have reportedly spent nearly three decades developing the vaccine and now hope it will be widely available by 2016.
Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease that kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide every year. Although most anti-malaria medication is highly effective, scientists say a vaccine is the only way to truly eradicate the disease.
In a trial conducted in Africa, the vaccine, known as ‘RTS,S’ almost halved the number of malaria cases in young children and reduced the number of cases in infants by approximately 25%. It was Africa's largest clinical trial yet, involving almost 15,500 children across seven countries.
“A malaria vaccine has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives in the developing world,” said Chetan Chavda of UK-based travel health website, clinidirect.co.uk. “Anti-malaria tablets, mosquito nets and strong insect repellents containing DEET are all effective methods to protect against malaria, but a widely available vaccine could affect people’s lives enormously.”
The trial’s findings were presented at a medical meeting in Durban, South Africa and indicated that 18 months after being vaccinated, children aged 5–17 months had a 46% reduction in the risk of malaria.
Related News
-
News BioNTech to begin mRNA vaccine manufacturing in Rwanda by 2025
German biotechnology company BioNTech has stated their intentions to begin production at their mRNA vaccine factory in Rwanda by 2025, which will mark the first foreign mRNA vaccine manufacturing site on the continent of Africa. -
News Identifying Alzheimer’s Disease biomarker proteins with whole blood tests
A University of Manchester spin-out pharmaceutical company, PharmaKure, has reported successful study results for the quantification of Alzheimer’s Disease biomarker proteins with a whole blood test. -
News Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to boost mRNA vaccine initiatives in Africa with USD $40m
To address vaccine inequality and accessibility issues, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation aims to deliver USD $40m to various biotech companies and vaccine manufacturers in support of mRNA vaccine development. -
News CPHI Podcast Series: Exploring neurological frontiers in Alzheimer's and beyond
The next episode of the CPHI Podcast Series delves into the science and background behind some recent developments in the field of Alzheimer's disease and neurological disorders. -
News Is patient centricity the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing?
In this interview with Sandra Sánchez y Oldenhage, President of PharmAdvice, she speaks to the importance of considering patients in the manufacturing stages of the pharmaceutical supply chain, and how it can redefine healthcare. -
News CPHI Podcast Series: How to leverage AI for Drug Discovery
Artificial intelligence is the topic of debate in the latest episode from the CPHI Podcast Series, where Digital Editor Lucy Chard speaks with Bill Whitford of DPS Group about the integration of AI in healthcare. -
News Pfizer forges ahead with blood cancer therapy after approval from FDA
Pfizer gains accelerated approval from the US FDA for their new bispecific antibody therapy for multiple myeloma, set to address an unmet need for patients. -
News Alzheimer's drug donanemab deemed effective in landmark clinical trial
Results from the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 Randomised Clinical Trial into the use of donanemab to treat early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease have been analysed.
Position your company at the heart of the global Pharma industry with a CPHI Online membership
-
Your products and solutions visible to thousands of visitors within the largest Pharma marketplace
-
Generate high-quality, engaged leads for your business, all year round
-
Promote your business as the industry’s thought-leader by hosting your reports, brochures and videos within your profile
-
Your company’s profile boosted at all participating CPHI events
-
An easy-to-use platform with a detailed dashboard showing your leads and performance