Exciting news in the fight against malaria has emerged, as scientists at the University of Oxford have developed a new vaccine with “world-changing” potential. According to the team, the vaccine will be rolled out next year following successful trials demonstrating up to 80% protection against the deadly disease. This is a major breakthrough in global health and one that has the potential to save countless lives. In this blog post, we’ll look at the details of this new vaccine and explore why it has been hailed as a game-changer in the fight against malaria.
Introducing the new malaria vaccine
Scientists at the University of Oxford have developed a groundbreaking malaria vaccine that has been dubbed “world-changing.” The vaccine, known as R21/Matrix-M, has been designed to offer protection against the most common form of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, which is responsible for most malaria cases and deaths worldwide. This new vaccine offers up to 80% protection against this deadly disease.
The vaccine works by delivering a modified version of the malaria parasite protein directly into the patient’s bloodstream, triggering an immune response. This response helps to protect the patient from infection with the malaria parasite, stopping them from becoming sick.
This new vaccine has the potential to save millions of lives in areas where malaria is prevalent, such as sub-Saharan Africa. It is hoped that once the vaccine is rolled out next year, it will drastically reduce the number of cases and deaths due to malaria. The World Health Organization estimates that over 400,000 people die yearly from the disease.
How the vaccine works
The malaria vaccine is based on the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, which has been developed over three decades of research by the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline and its partners. This vaccine is designed to stimulate the body’s own immune system to target and destroy the Plasmodium falciparum parasites that cause malaria. It works by introducing two components of the parasite into the body, one that targets the liver and one that targets the blood. The liver-targeting component induces an immune response that helps prevent the parasite from reproducing and spreading in the body, while the blood-targeting component triggers an antibody response that helps prevent the parasites from entering red blood cells.
The team at Oxford conducted two large clinical trials involving 15,000 children in seven African countries. The results showed that the vaccine provided up to 80% protection against malaria for up to four years. Additionally, it was found to be safe and well tolerated, with no serious adverse effects reported.
This breakthrough in malaria prevention is a significant step forward in the fight against the disease and could lead to a significant reduction in deaths and suffering due to malaria around the world.
Why this is a world-changing development
Malaria is a devastating and life-threatening disease, and the development of a vaccine with such a high efficacy rate has the potential to be a world-changing development. According to the World Health Organization, there were over 219 million malaria cases worldwide in 2019, resulting in an estimated 435,000 deaths. This new vaccine could significantly reduce the number of people affected by malaria and save thousands of lives.
The Oxford team has also developed an innovative delivery system for the vaccine that could help reduce the delivery cost and make it more accessible to those who need it. The vaccine is given in four doses over 18 months but can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 weeks, meaning it is easier to transport and administer than existing vaccines.
The vaccine is also expected to provide long-term protection from malaria, reducing the need for multiple doses and making it much more effective than current treatments. With this new breakthrough, the team hopes to improve the health and quality of life of millions of people in areas where malaria is endemic.
What’s next for the rollout of the vaccine
The team behind the vaccine is working hard to ensure the new malaria vaccine will be rolled out as quickly and efficiently as possible. The vaccine was developed in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), and the WHO is now beginning the process of obtaining regulatory approval for its use. It is expected that the vaccine will initially be made available in countries that are heavily affected by malaria, such as Kenya, Ghana, and Malawi.
Once approved, it is hoped that the vaccine will become part of existing vaccination programs in these countries so that everyone can benefit from this potentially life-saving technology. The research team also intends to monitor the vaccine’s effectiveness in these countries over the long term to ensure it remains safe and effective.
The vaccine has also been tested in another disease-endemic region—the Amazon—and results from these trials are pending. If the vaccine proves successful in this environment, it is hoped that it could be made available in other malaria-endemic areas worldwide.
Ultimately, it is the hope of the team behind this groundbreaking development that the vaccine will help save countless lives around the world by significantly reducing the spread of malaria.–MM
Reference:
https://www.voanews.com/a/world-changing-malaria-vaccine-could-eradicate-disease-/6736602.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-62797776
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191115091626.htm
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