According to the Mymetics, in the Phase Ib trial conducted in cooperation with the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and Pevion Biotech, the vaccine was tested during a 12-month period on 40 healthy, semi-immune volunteers (32 children, 8 adults) in Tanzania under endemic conditions.
The results showed a high sero-conversion rate for most subjects. The highest percentage of long-lasting sero-converted children following injection of the vaccine was 70% at day 180 for the AMA-1 antigen (against the merozoite), while for the CSP-1 antigen (against the sporozoite) 83% of children were positive for up to 365 days.
Upon successful completion of the Phase Ib trial, Mymetics is planning for the next phase of development of the multi-stage vaccine with additional promising Malaria antigens. While achieving sterile immunity is the ideal objective, a vaccine that efficiently reduces or controls liver and erythrocyte infection could also reduce parasitemia and symptoms, significantly decreasing mortality and morbidity in children. Mymetics is working closely with not-for-profit organizations to fund these next stages of development.
Mymetics has said that its Malaria vaccine uses influenza-based virosomes as the antigen carrier which was already approved as a vaccine carrier in more than 40 countries with two synthetic peptide vaccine components that mimic the native structure of important antigens found during the key stages in the Malaria parasite’s life cycle.
Marcel Tanner, director of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, said: “These exciting results are especially promising compared to previous clinical studies, as the group was semi-immune and the trial was carried out without special precautions to avoid parasite exposure – conditions that normally make it very difficult to trigger a strong immune response.”
Sylvain Fleury, CSO of Mymetics, said: “Mymetics’ Malaria vaccine is one of only a few that target the blood and liver stages of the Malaria parasite’s life cycle, an approach we believe is more likely to achieve efficacy in providing protection and parasitemia control.”