Oxford malaria vaccine demonstrated efficacy and safety in 5,000 children

new vaccine against malariacalled R21/MatrixM confirmed “high” effectiveness (average 78%) and “good” safety profile in children aged 5 to 17 months during the first year, according to a new study Phase 3 clinical trial Made in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali and Tanzania. This vaccine antimalarialwhich stands out for its low cost and possibility of mass productionbecomes the second drug approved for the disease, which is the leading cause of death among young African children, with more than 600,000 deaths each year worldwide.

The R21/Matrix-M was developed in 2011 as a potential improvement to the RTS S/AS01 developed in the 1980s. more than 4800 children and at the same time average vaccine effectiveness 78% during the first year of follow-up in all centers age group from 5 to 17 months

, reports Efe. This is the age group in which most malaria vaccines are studied, the agency said in a statement. Oxford Universitywhich developed the vaccine and which produces the serum of the Institute of India.

Efficacy over one year was very similar across study sites and transmission environments. No other vaccine had an efficacy rate greater than 55. % in the same age group, and, in addition, booster doses per year maintained good effectiveness over the next 6 to 12 months, the note added.

Vaccine infection rates also decreased in children aged 12 and 18 months. after taking the drug, “suggesting a potentially beneficial effect in reducing malaria transmission.” A significantly greater immune response to R21/Matrix-M and slightly higher efficacy was observed in children aged 5 to 17 months compared to other vaccines aged 18 to 36 months, “confirming the planned introduction of the vaccine initially starting at 5 months of age.” age in small African children.

security data The study results “were encouraging,” with no “immunization-related serious adverse events,” the note added. The vaccine was well toleratedwith the most common adverse events being injection site pain and fever, and there were no treatment-related deaths.

This is the second malaria vaccine recommended by WHO after RTS,S/AS01, which was approved by the Organization in 2021. Both vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective in preventing malaria in children and are expected to have a clear impact when widely introduced positive impact on public health.

What is malaria and symptoms

Malaria is mosquito-borne disease which seriously affects the African region, where it claims the lives of almost half a million children every year. It is expected that in 2022 the world will experience There are 249 million cases and 608,000 deaths from the disease in 85 countries.

There are five species of Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria in humans, two of which (P. faciparum and P. vivax) carry a higher risk. P. falciparum is the deadliest and most common malaria parasite on the African continent.. P. vivax is the dominant parasite in most countries outside sub-Saharan Africa. Other species that can infect humans are P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi.

The most common early symptoms of malaria are fever, headache and chills

. They usually appear in 10-15 days after the bite. They may be mild at first, similar to the symptoms of many febrile illnesses, and for this reason they are difficult to recognize as signs of malaria. If left untreated, falciparum malaria can lead to serious clinical conditions and cause death within 24 hours.

Infants, children under 5 years of age, pregnant women, travelers, and people with HIV or AIDS are at increased risk of severe infection. Severe symptoms include fatigue, confusion, cramps and difficulty breathing.