Vaccines have the potential to contribute to global goals associated with reducing morbidity and mortality, as well as accelerating elimination and eventual eradication. RTS,S, the most advanced malaria vaccine in development, has received a positive scientific opinion from the European Medicines Agency and is advancing to a WHO-led pilot implementation. The pilot implementation plans to reach approximately 360,000 children annually, in selected areas in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, to provide the evidence needed to determine whether an expanded WHO policy recommendation is warranted.
Next generation vaccines with higher efficacy and superior durability are needed, and several recombinant and whole parasite-based approaches are in early development. The most promising efficacy results for a subunit-based approach have comes from a controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) study involving RTS,S, which was designed to investigate the impact of simple changes in dose and regimen. Innovative technologies have been applied to identify immune correlates of protection associated with the observed increase in efficacy, which in turn are informing the design of next generation vaccines. In addition, potent monoclonal antibodies with potential to serve as a supplemental malaria control and elimination tool are being generated and advancing to CHMI testing. This presentation will review novel product development opportunities being informed by this work.