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news.In collaboration with the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, the biotechnology firm Cilian succeeded to reconstruct an important surface protein of the Malaria parasite.
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The uniqueness of this vaccine is that it is produced in ciliates and covers nearly all variations of a certain parasite antigen – a worldwide novelty. This project was supported through a grant from the EU of over €1m. Details of the development were published by the peer-reviewed journal "PLOS ONE" in form of a scientific paper.
Dr David R. Cavanagh of the Institute of Immunology and Infection Research at EdinburghUniversity noted that Cilian and the university are one step ahead of the parasite.
Tests in animals showed a marked immune reaction. Details were published by the researchers in a scientific paper.
The Malaria parasite is very flexible and mutates quickly, posing a major challenge for detection and treatment. For this reason, the University of Edinburgh compiled all variations of a surface protein in the merozoite stage, built them into a polymorphic multi domain malaria vaccine antigen and sent them to Cilian in Münster.
Cilian now was tasked to produce the protein. The key element in this effort are protozoans of the genus Tetrahymena that can be found in lakes or puddles.
Through genetic procedures, the research team at Cilian makes Tetrahymena to produce the surface protein. Subsequently, it gets harvested and purified. This process is accomplished without any risk. Researchers do not even have to wear safety equipment during the process.
Cilian chief scientific officer Dr Markus Hartmann noted that it is advantageous that Tetrahymena is a close relative of the Malaria parasite.
"They are very similar in their morphology and physiology. This clearly represents an advantage compared to other approaches.
"Malaria will not be able to do this with our vaccine. The parasite is being attacked more aggressively," Dr Hartmann added.
In fact, many other attempts to develop compounds against Malaria did not produce the desired results. Oftentimes medicines were very effective in just a small number of patients and the parasite quickly developed resistance.