1
|
Amimo F. Leveraging malaria vaccines and mRNA technology to tackle the global inequity in pharmaceutical research and production towards disease elimination. Malar J 2024; 23:136. [PMID: 38711053 PMCID: PMC11075248 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-024-04972-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria vaccine introduction in endemic countries is a game-changing milestone in the fight against the disease. This article examines the inequity in the global pharmaceutical research, development, manufacturing, and trade landscape. The role of inequity in hindering progress towards malaria elimination is explored. The analysis finds that transformational changes are required to create an equity-enabling environment. Addressing the inequity is critical to maximizing the public health impact of vaccines and attaining sustainability. Avenues to catalyze progress by leveraging malaria vaccines and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) technology are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Floriano Amimo
- Faculty of Medicine, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Trujillo E, Monreal-Escalante E, Angulo C. Microalgae-made human vaccines and therapeutics: A decade of advances. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2400091. [PMID: 38719615 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202400091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Microalgal emergence is a promising platform with two-decade historical background for producing vaccines and biopharmaceuticals. During that period, microalgal-based vaccines have reported successful production for various diseases. Thus, species selection is important for genetic transformation and delivery methods that have been developed. Although many vaccine prototypes have been produced for infectious and non-infectious diseases, fewer studies have reached immunological and immunoprotective evaluations. Microalgae-made vaccines for Staphylococcus aureus, malaria, influenza, human papilloma, and Zika viruses have been explored in their capacity to induce humoral or cellular immune responses and protective efficacies against experimental challenges. Therefore, specific pathogen antigens and immune system role are important and addressed in controlling these infections. Regarding non-communicable diseases, these vaccines have been investigated for breast cancer; microalgal-produced therapeutic molecules and microalgal-made interferon-α have been explored for hypertension and potential applications in treating viral infections and cancer, respectively. Thus, conducting immunological trials is emphasized, discussing the promising results observed in terms of immunogenicity, desired immune response for controlling affections, and challenges for achieving the desired protection levels. The potential advantages and hurdles associated with this innovative approach are highlighted, underlining the relevance of assessing immune responses in preclinical and clinical trials to validate the efficacy of these biopharmaceuticals. The promising future of this healthcare technology is also envisaged.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edgar Trujillo
- Immunology & Vaccinology Group, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S., México
| | - Elizabeth Monreal-Escalante
- Immunology & Vaccinology Group, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S., México
- CONAHCYT-Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S., México
| | - Carlos Angulo
- Immunology & Vaccinology Group, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S., México
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Okesanya OJ, Ogaya JB, Manirambona E, Anorue CO, Lucero-Prisno DE. Advancing Malaria Vaccination in Africa: Cameroon's Pioneering Effort and the Path Forward. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSIGHTS 2024; 18:11786302241236013. [PMID: 38449588 PMCID: PMC10916456 DOI: 10.1177/11786302241236013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Olalekan John Okesanya
- Department of Public Health and Maritime Transport, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
| | - Jerico Bautista Ogaya
- Department of Medical Technology, Institute of Health Sciences and Far Eastern University, Manila, Philippines
| | - Emery Manirambona
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | - Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Plata-Pineda SE, Cárdenas-Munévar LX, Castro-Cavadía CJ, Buitrago SP, Garzón-Ospina D. Evaluating the genetic diversity of the Plasmodium vivax siap2 locus: A promising candidate for an effective malaria vaccine? Acta Trop 2024; 251:107111. [PMID: 38151069 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is the deadliest parasitic disease in the world. Traditional control measures have become less effective; hence, there is a need to explore alternative strategies, such as antimalarial vaccines. However, designing an anti-Plasmodium vivax vaccine is considered a challenge due to the complex parasite biology and the antigens' high genetic diversity. Recently, the sporozoite invasion-associated protein 2 (SIAP2) has been suggested as a potential antigen to be considered in vaccine design due to its significance during hepatocyte invasion. However, its use may be limited by the incomplete understanding of gene/protein diversity. Here, the genetic diversity of pvsiap2 using P. vivax DNA samples from Colombia was assessed. Through PCR amplification and sequencing, we compared the Colombian sequences with available worldwide sequences, revealing that pvsiap2 displays low genetic diversity. Molecular evolutionary analyses showed that pvsiap2 appears to be influenced by directional selection. Moreover, the haplotypes found differ by a few mutational steps and several of them were shared between different geographical areas. On the other hand, several conserved regions within PvSIAP2 were predicted as potential B-cell or T-cell epitopes. Considering these characteristics and its role in hepatocyte invasion, the PvSIAP2 protein emerges as a promising antigen to be considered in a multi-antigen-multi-stage (multivalent) fully effective vaccine against P. vivax malaria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio E Plata-Pineda
- School of Biological Sciences, Grupo de Estudios en Genética y Biología Molecular (GEBIMOL), Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia - UPTC, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
| | - Laura X Cárdenas-Munévar
- School of Biological Sciences, Grupo de Estudios en Genética y Biología Molecular (GEBIMOL), Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia - UPTC, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
| | - Carlos J Castro-Cavadía
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas y Biomédicas de Córdoba (GIMBIC), School of Health Sciences, Universidad de Córdoba, Montería, Córdoba, Colombia
| | - Sindy P Buitrago
- School of Biological Sciences, Grupo de Estudios en Genética y Biología Molecular (GEBIMOL), Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia - UPTC, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia; Population Genetics And Molecular Evolution (PGAME), Fundación Scient, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
| | - Diego Garzón-Ospina
- School of Biological Sciences, Grupo de Estudios en Genética y Biología Molecular (GEBIMOL), Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia - UPTC, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia; Population Genetics And Molecular Evolution (PGAME), Fundación Scient, Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Nebie I, Palacpac NMQ, Bougouma EC, Diarra A, Ouédraogo A, D’Alessio F, Houard S, Tiono AB, Cousens S, Horii T, Sirima SB. Persistence of Anti-SE36 Antibodies Induced by the Malaria Vaccine Candidate BK-SE36/CpG in 5-10-Year-Old Burkinabe Children Naturally Exposed to Malaria. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:166. [PMID: 38400149 PMCID: PMC10892924 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12020166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Information on the dynamics and decline/persistence of antibody titres is important in vaccine development. A recent vaccine trial in malaria-exposed, healthy African adults and children living in a malaria hyperendemic and seasonal area (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso) was the first study in which BK-SE36/CpG was administered to different age groups. In 5- to 10-year-old children, the risk of malaria infection was markedly lower in the BK-SE36/CpG arm compared to the control arm. We report here data on antibody titres measured in this age-group after the high malaria transmission season of 2021 (three years after the first vaccine dose was administered). At Year 3, 83% of children had detectable anti-SE36 total IgG antibodies. Geometric mean antibody titres and the proportion of children with detectable anti-SE36 antibodies were markedly higher in the BK-SE36/CpG arm than the control (rabies) arm. The information obtained in this study will guide investigators on future vaccine/booster schedules for this promising blood-stage malaria vaccine candidate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Issa Nebie
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou 10248, Burkina Faso; (I.N.); (E.C.B.); (A.D.); (A.O.); (A.B.T.)
| | - Nirianne Marie Q. Palacpac
- Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan;
| | - Edith Christiane Bougouma
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou 10248, Burkina Faso; (I.N.); (E.C.B.); (A.D.); (A.O.); (A.B.T.)
| | - Amidou Diarra
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou 10248, Burkina Faso; (I.N.); (E.C.B.); (A.D.); (A.O.); (A.B.T.)
| | - Alphonse Ouédraogo
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou 10248, Burkina Faso; (I.N.); (E.C.B.); (A.D.); (A.O.); (A.B.T.)
| | - Flavia D’Alessio
- European Vaccine Initiative, UniversitätsKlinikum Heidelberg, Voßstraße 2, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany; (F.D.); (S.H.)
| | - Sophie Houard
- European Vaccine Initiative, UniversitätsKlinikum Heidelberg, Voßstraße 2, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany; (F.D.); (S.H.)
| | - Alfred B. Tiono
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou 10248, Burkina Faso; (I.N.); (E.C.B.); (A.D.); (A.O.); (A.B.T.)
| | - Simon Cousens
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK;
| | - Toshihiro Horii
- Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan;
| | - Sodiomon B. Sirima
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou 10248, Burkina Faso; (I.N.); (E.C.B.); (A.D.); (A.O.); (A.B.T.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Rajendran V, Naveen NC. Identifying Fast and Slow-Acting Antimalarial Compounds of Pandemic Response Box Against Blood-Stage Culture of Plasmodium falciparum 3D7. Curr Microbiol 2024; 81:81. [PMID: 38289473 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03601-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The evolving clinical resistance in Plasmodium falciparum and the spike in malarial cases after the COVID-19 outbreak has triggered a search for new antimalarials effective against multi-drug-resistant P. falciparum strains. In this study, we assessed the timing of action, either fast or slow-acting of 13 potent compounds of Pandemic Response Box (PRB) against blood-stage Pf3D7 strain by SYBR Green-I assay. The asynchronous culture of Pf3D7 was exposed to varying concentrations of 13 compounds, and IC50 values were determined at 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. We identified four fast-acting compounds (MMV000008, MMV1593541, MMV020752, MMV396785) with rapid-growth inhibitory activity having IC50 values ≤ 0.3 µM at 12 and 24 h. Similarly, we determined nine slow-acting compounds (MMV159340, MMV1634492, MMV1581558, MMV689758, MMV1593540, MMV394033, MMV019724, MMV000725, MMV1557856) having IC50 values ≤ 0.5 µM at 72 and 96 h. Furthermore, the stage-specific action of the two most potent fast-acting compounds (MMV1593541 and MMV020752) against rings, trophozoites, and schizonts at 48 h of exposure revealed that ring-stage parasites showed reduced IC50 values compared to mature stage forms. Therefore, our study demonstrates for the first time the identification of the most potent fast and slow-acting compounds from PRB against blood-stage infection, suggesting its utility in clinics and considering it as a partner drug in combination therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vinoth Rajendran
- Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, 605014, India.
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ouédraogo A, Bougouma EC, Palacpac NMQ, Houard S, Nebie I, Sawadogo J, Berges GD, Soulama I, Diarra A, Hien D, Ouedraogo AZ, Konaté AT, Kouanda S, Myoui A, Ezoe S, Ishii KJ, Sato T, D’Alessio F, Leroy O, Tiono AB, Cousens S, Horii T, Sirima SB. Safety and immunogenicity of BK-SE36/CpG malaria vaccine in healthy Burkinabe adults and children: a phase 1b randomised, controlled, double-blinded, age de-escalation trial. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1267372. [PMID: 37908361 PMCID: PMC10613650 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1267372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background BK-SE36/CpG is a recombinant blood-stage malaria vaccine candidate based on the N-terminal Plasmodium falciparum serine repeat antigen5 (SE36), adsorbed to aluminium hydroxide gel and reconstituted, prior to administration, with synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides bearing CpG motifs. In healthy Japanese adult males, BK-SE36/CpG was well tolerated. This study assessed its safety and immunogenicity in healthy malaria-exposed African adults and children. Methods A double-blind, randomised, controlled, age de-escalating clinical trial was conducted in an urban area of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Healthy participants (n=135) aged 21-45 years (Cohort 1), 5-10 years (Cohort 2) and 12-24 months (Cohort 3) were randomised to receive three vaccine doses (Day 0, 28 and 112) of BK-SE36/CpG or rabies vaccine by intramuscular injection. Results One hundred thirty-four of 135 (99.2%) subjects received all three scheduled vaccine doses. Vaccinations were well tolerated with no related Grade 3 (severe) adverse events (AEs). Pain/limitation of limb movement, headache in adults and fever in younger children (all mild to moderate in intensity) were the most frequently observed local and systemic AEs. Eighty-three of BK-SE36/CpG (91%) recipients and 37 of control subjects (84%) had Grade 1/2 events within 28 days post vaccination. Events considered by the investigator to be vaccine related were experienced by 38% and 14% of subjects in BK-SE36/CpG and control arms, respectively. Throughout the trial, six Grade 3 events (in 4 subjects), not related to vaccination, were recorded in the BK-SE36/CpG arm: 5 events (in 3 subjects) within 28 days of vaccination. All serious adverse events (SAEs) (n=5) were due to severe malaria (52-226 days post vaccination) and not related to vaccination. In all cohorts, BK-SE36/CpG arm had higher antibody titres after Dose 3 than after Dose 2. Younger cohorts had stronger immune responses (12-24-month-old > 5-10 years-old > 21-45 years-old). Sera predominantly reacted to peptides that lie in intrinsically unstructured regions of SE36. In the control arm, there were no marked fold changes in antibody titres and participants' sera reacted poorly to all peptides spanning SE36. Conclusion BK-SE36/CpG was well-tolerated and immunogenic. These results pave the way for further proof-of-concept studies to demonstrate vaccine efficacy. Clinical trial registration https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=1921, PACTR201701001921166.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nirianne Marie Q. Palacpac
- Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Sophie Houard
- European Vaccine Initiative (EVI), Universitäts Klinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Issa Nebie
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Jean Sawadogo
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Issiaka Soulama
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Amidou Diarra
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Denise Hien
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Amadou T. Konaté
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Seni Kouanda
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Akira Myoui
- Medical Center for Translational Research, Osaka University Hospital, Suita, Japan
| | - Sachiko Ezoe
- Medical Center for Translational Research, Osaka University Hospital, Suita, Japan
- Department of Space Infection Control, Graduate School of Medicine, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ken J. Ishii
- Center for Vaccine and Adjuvant Research, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Ibaraki, Japan
- Laboratory of Vaccine Science, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Division of Vaccine Science, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takanobu Sato
- Research and Development Division, Nobelpharma Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Flavia D’Alessio
- European Vaccine Initiative (EVI), Universitäts Klinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Odile Leroy
- European Vaccine Initiative (EVI), Universitäts Klinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alfred B. Tiono
- Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Simon Cousens
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
| | - Toshihiro Horii
- Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Magwaza RN, Abubaker M, Hussain B, Haley M, Couper K, Freeman S, Nirmalan NJ. Evaluation of 4-Aminoquinoline Hydrazone Analogues as Potential Leads for Drug-Resistant Malaria. Molecules 2023; 28:6471. [PMID: 37764248 PMCID: PMC10534891 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28186471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of resistance to first-line antimalarial drugs calls for the development of new therapies for drug-resistant malaria. The efficacy of quinoline-based antimalarial drugs has prompted the development of novel quinolines. A panel of 4-aminoquinoline hydrazone analogues were tested on the multidrug-resistant K1 strain of Plasmodium falciparum: IC50 values after a 48 h cycle ranged from 0.60 to 49 µM, while the 72 h cycle ranged from 0.026 to 0.219 μM. Time-course assays were carried out to define the activity of the lead compounds, which inhibited over 50% growth in 24 h and 90% growth in 72 h. Cytotoxicity assays with HepG2 cells showed IC50 values of 0.87-11.1 μM, whereas in MDBK cells, IC50 values ranged from 1.66 to 11.7 μM. High selectivity indices were observed for the lead compounds screened at 72 h on P. falciparum. Analyses of stage specificity revealed that the ring stages of the parasite life cycle were most affected. Based on antimalarial efficacy and in vitro safety profiles, lead compound 4-(2-benzylidenehydrazinyl)-6-methoxy-2-methylquinoline 2 was progressed to drug combination studies for the detection of synergism, with a combinatory index of 0.599 at IC90 for the combination with artemether, indicating a synergistic antimalarial activity. Compound 2 was screened on different strains of P. falciparum (3D7, Dd2), which maintained similar activity to K1, suggesting no cross-resistance between multidrug resistance and sensitive parasite strains. In vivo analysis with 2 showed the suppression of parasitaemia with P. yoelii NL (non-lethal)-treated mice (20 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachael N. Magwaza
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK;
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, UK;
| | - Muna Abubaker
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, UK;
| | - Buthaina Hussain
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman 17138, Jordan;
| | - Michael Haley
- School of Biological Sciences, Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Infection, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK; (M.H.); (K.C.)
| | - Kevin Couper
- School of Biological Sciences, Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Infection, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK; (M.H.); (K.C.)
| | - Sally Freeman
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK;
| | - Niroshini J. Nirmalan
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, UK;
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Tsoumani ME, Voyiatzaki C, Efstathiou A. Malaria Vaccines: From the Past towards the mRNA Vaccine Era. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1452. [PMID: 37766129 PMCID: PMC10536368 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11091452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium spp. is the etiological agent of malaria, a life-threatening parasitic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Malaria remains a major global health challenge, particularly in endemic regions. Over the years, various vaccine candidates targeting different stages of Plasmodium parasite life-cycle have been explored, including subunit vaccines, vectored vaccines, and whole organism vaccines with Mosquirix, a vaccine based on a recombinant protein, as the only currently approved vaccine for Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Despite the aforementioned notable progress, challenges such as antigenic diversity, limited efficacy, resistant parasites escaping protective immunity and the need for multiple doses have hindered the development of a highly efficacious malaria vaccine. The recent success of mRNA-based vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 has sparked renewed interest in mRNA vaccine platforms. The unique mRNA vaccine features, including their potential for rapid development, scalability, and flexibility in antigen design, make them a promising avenue for malaria vaccine development. This review provides an overview of the malaria vaccines' evolution from the past towards the mRNA vaccine era and highlights their advantages in overcoming the limitations of previous malaria vaccine candidates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria E. Tsoumani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Aigaleo, Greece; (M.E.T.); (C.V.)
| | - Chrysa Voyiatzaki
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Aigaleo, Greece; (M.E.T.); (C.V.)
| | - Antonia Efstathiou
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Aigaleo, Greece; (M.E.T.); (C.V.)
- Immunology of Infection Group, Department of Microbiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|