The RTS,S vaccine candidate for malaria

Abstract

Malaria continues to be a worldwide leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and the development of an effective malaria vaccine remains a research imperative. Of the multiple approaches that have been pursued, the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine candidate represents the most developed and clinically validated malaria vaccine formulation. Throughout its development, increasingly more effective adjuvants have been key in improving the potency of the vaccine. RTS,S-based vaccine formulations have been demonstrated to be safe, well tolerated, immunogenic, and to confer partial efficacy in both malaria-naive and -experienced adults as well as children. Further research to optimize and improve vaccine efficacy is ongoing.

Keywords::

• adjuvant
• falciparum
• malaria
• malaria vaccine
• prime–boost
• RTS,S

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in this article are personal and are not to be construed as official positions of the United States Departments of the Army or Defense.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.