In the next 5 years, the malaria vaccine is available in the market

Hundreds of millions of dollars are currently being invested in a new vaccine, preventing malaria called Mosquirix. The successful rate of prevention is 66%. It is expected that this vaccine will be available in the market for 5 years.

On October 17, experts at the University of Barcelona (Spain) reported that children in developing countries could be protected by Mosquirix (RTS, S / AS02) vaccines of pharmaceutical companies. giant GlaxoSmithKine Plc. (Brother).

The team conducted phase 2 trials of this vaccine in Mozambique for 214 newborns - 10, 14 and 18 weeks of age. These children are divided into two groups: using vaccines and not using vaccines. After 6 months of testing, there were only 22 cases of Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite infection in vaccinated children, while in the other group, the number of cases was 46. According to experts, it is common for age, this vaccine achieved a success rate of about 66%.

Mosquirix vaccine achieved a 66% success rate in phase 2 testing. In the picture: P. falciparum malaria is disrupting red blood cells.(Photo: medinfo.ufl.edu)

Malaria experts say that the vaccine will work best when used for children as soon as possible after birth . Although the success rate has not yet reached 100%, experts believe that the vaccine will contribute to protecting the lives of millions of children in developing countries, especially in Africa - where death rates are The highest death in malaria.

This result paved the way for a large-scale trial (phase 3) for 16,000 children in 7 African countries in the second half of 2008, opening hope for an effective vaccine within 5 6 more years.

In an interview with the press, the research leader, Dr. Pedro Alonso, of the University of Barcelona, ​​said: 'This is an important breakthrough. Test results show that the vaccine may contribute to reducing the burden of disease and death caused by malaria '.

According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), every 30 seconds passed and 1 child died from malaria, and every year, 300 million people worldwide get sick and 1 million people die. . As expected of experts, if all goes well, this vaccine will be licensed for circulation in 2011 and will be available in the market in 2012 or 2013.

Glaxo promised to sell Mosquirix at low prices to developing countries. Specific selling prices will be negotiated with buying units - most likely the group is likely to support countries suffering from malaria. Glaxo has invested $ 300 million to develop the Mosquirix vaccine and is expected to spend an additional $ 50 million to $ 100 million in the future.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has funded US $ 107 million for this vaccine testing program.

Details of the trial have just been published in the British medical journal The Lancet.

Quang Thinh