New Malaria Vaccine on the Anvil

Griffith University's Institute for Glycomics in Queensland will be launching a new malaria vaccine that uses a unique chemical treatment to overcome the infectious disease.

More than one million children die every year across the globe due to malaria with majority of them from the developing world. The vaccine, known as PlasProtecT, uses ultra-low doses of whole malaria parasites, put to sleep using a unique chemical treatment.

The vaccine will be unveiled this Friday to mark the opening of the university's Laboratory of Vaccines for the Developing World and will undergo the first stage of human trials over the next 12 months.

"We have observed very strong immune responses that can protect from multiple strains and species of the parasite, thus potentially overcoming the major hurdle to developing a vaccine", lead researcher Professor Michael Good said.

Source: Medindia