The first results from a clinical laboratory have shown that an ongoing Phase III trial on a malaria vaccine have been successful.
In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), the malaria vaccine candidate being trialled by scientists to provide young African children with significant protection against clinical and severe malaria was found to have an acceptable safety and tolerability profile.
The trial, conducted at 11 sites in seven countries across sub-Saharan Africa, showed that three doses of RTS,S reduced the risk of children aged five to 17 months suffering from clinical malaria by 56 per cent and saw a 47 per cent reduction in severe malaria.
Scientists noted that 6,000 children were involved in the study, with the findings based on the 12 months after the vaccine was administered.
"These data bring us to the cusp of having the world's first malaria vaccine, which has the potential to significantly improve the outlook for children living in malaria endemic regions across Africa," said Andrew Witty, chief executive officer of GSK.
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