Preclinical Evaluation of a Chimeric Malaria Vaccine Candidate in Montanide ISA 720®: Immunogenecity and Safety in Rhesus Macaques

Abstract

Several malarial antigens are in development as potential vaccine candidates as part of a concerted effort to control the disease, which kills more than one million people per year. Although some antigens have demonstrated an impact against the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, many researchers hypothesize that a combination of antigens will be required to generate high levels of efficacy against clinical disease. PfCP2.9 is a chimeric protein that includes MSP119 and domain III of AMA1 [AMA1 (III)] of Plasmodium falciparum in a single recombinant molecule. The antigen, formulated in Seppic’s ISA 720 adjuvant, is approaching Phase I clinical testing in humans.