A human phase I/IIa malaria challenge trial of a polyprotein malaria vaccine

Journal article

We examined the safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of a prime-boost vaccination regime involving two poxvirus malaria subunit vaccines, FP9-PP and MVA-PP, expressing the same polyprotein consisting of six pre-erythrocytic antigens from Plasmodium falciparum. Following safety assessment of single doses, 15 volunteers received a heterologous prime-boost vaccination regime and underwent malaria sporozoite challenge. The vaccines were safe but interferon-γ ELISPOT responses were low compared to other poxvirus vectors, despite targeting multiple antigens. There was no vaccine efficacy as measured by delay in time to parasitaemia. A number of possible explanations are discussed, including the very large insert size of the polyprotein transgene. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

Authors: Porter, D; Thompson, F; Berthoud, T; Hutchings, C; Andrews, L

• Journal: Vaccine
• Volume: 29
• Issue: 43
• Pages: 7514-7522
• Publication date: 2011-10-06
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.03.083
• EISSN: 1873-2518
• ISSN: 0264-410X
• Language: English
• Keywords: Malaria; Vaccine; Heterologous prime-boost