A new malaria vaccine developed by the University of Oxford has been shown to provide the most effective protection against the disease yet.
A new malaria vaccine has been declared the ‘best yet’, with scientists hoping it will be approved as early as next year.
Scientists have been working tirelessly to develop a vaccine for malaria over the past century. However, It is hoped the new R21 vaccine could completely eradicate malaria as the latest trials proved successful.
This new vaccine will be a huge step forward in the fight against the disease, which caused the deaths of almost half a million children in 2020.
A world-changing development ‒ fighting against malaria
The brand new malaria vaccine has been declared the ‘best yet’ by scientists after the latest tests showed promising results.
The first vaccine against malaria (RTS,S) was approved by the World Health Organisation last year. Pharmaceutical giant GSK was granted the contract to manufacture and distribute the vaccine, which is currently being used across Africa.
However, this new R21 vaccine proves to offer even greater protection of up to 80%. Plus, the R21 vaccine is even cheaper to develop. With such promising results, it is hoped that the brand new vaccine will soon receive approval before the UK cuts global health investment.
New malaria vaccine declared the ‘best yet’ ‒ an incredible new development
The scientists behind the R21 vaccine have already settled a deal to manufacture 100 million doses a year. Therefore, if approval is granted, it could go a long way in eradicating one of the world’s worst diseases.
It has taken over a century to develop a successful vaccine against malaria. The disease, which is spread by mosquitoes, has been notoriously elusive and hard to catch, as it is a constantly moving entity.
Gareth Jenkins works with the charity Malaria No More. He explained that we could see infant deaths to the disease “end in our lifetimes” if the R21 proves successful.
Eradicating malaria for good ‒ saving millions of lives
The brand new malaria vaccine has been declared the ‘best yet’. If successful, it will save millions of lives lost to the disease every year, many of which are children and infants.
The RTS,S vaccine has already proven successful in the fight against malaria across Africa. However, scientists behind the R21 have stated that it will be possible to manufacture the new vaccine on a much greater scale.
The current results are based on a trial of 409 children in Nanoro in Burkina Faso. They show that three doses, followed by a booster a year later, provide 80% protection.
However, a larger test of 4,800 children and teens is to be carried out before the end of this year. Until this is complete, approval cannot be granted.