New malaria vaccine takes centre stage

A malaria vaccine to protect against all known strains of the deadly disease is being launched by Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics. Recently launched during the opening of the Institute’s new Laboratory of Vaccines for the Developing World, PlasProtecT™ uses a scientific method whereby ultra-low doses of whole malaria parasites are ‘put to sleep’ using a unique chemical treatment. The sleeping parasite will be administered to volunteers as part of Phase 1 human vaccine trials within the next 12 months with the treatment expected to produce an immune response that will protect against all known strains of malaria. Lead researcher Professor Michael Good said previous attempts to find the ‘silver bullet’ solution to attack the malaria parasite have proved elusive. “Our approach has entailed putting the parasite to sleep by using a new class of chemical compounds that target certain DNA sequences in the parasite. The sleeping parasite is then injected in very...