Genetically engineered vaccine trialled

The first human trials for a genetically engineered malaria vaccine are set to go ahead.

Scientists from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, have developed a live vaccine against the disease that is a weakened strain of the malaria parasite.

Vital genes in the malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum parasite have been removed by the researchers, which prevents malaria from spreading into the bloodstream.

Professor Alan Cowman, head of the institute's infection and immunity division, wrote in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: "We believe that our genetically attenuated parasite approach provides a safe and reproducible way of developing a whole organism malaria vaccine.

"Although two genes have been deleted the parasite is still alive and able to stimulate the body's protective immune system to recognise and destroy incoming mosquito-transmitted deadly parasites."

Similar treatments tested by the scientists have achieved a 100 per cent success rate when used on mice.

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