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At IDRI, our mission is to translate science into global health solutions. We develop vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutic products that address the world's most neglected infectious diseases.
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IDRI, USAID Strike New Collaboration for Malaria Vaccine Development
Memorandum of Understanding focused on USAID support of IDRI Collaboration with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Seattle, WA | August 16, 2011
The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI)
today announced a new Memorandum of Understanding with the United States Agency
for International Development (USAID), focused on support of a collaboration with the
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) for the development of a new
vaccine against malaria. The collaboration is for the development of a novel malaria
vaccine, which combines WRAIRʼs malaria antigen CelTOS with IDRIʼs potent GLA-SE
adjuvant.
Preclinical studies to date have shown that the combination of CelTOS and GLA-SE in
a vaccine candidate produces potent immune responses in small animals, resulting in
a protective immune response during the infectious mosquito-stage of malaria
parasites.
Because of the conserved nature of the CelTOS antigen, immunized mice are
protected against other distantly related malaria strains as well. USAID provided funds
for WRAIRʼs preclinical studies of this antigen, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
funded IDRIʼs CelTOS-specific adjuvant development activities. A phase I clinical trial
with human malaria challenge is being funded by USAID, the WRAIR, and the Gates
Foundation grant awarded to IDRI.
Malaria is a devastating parasitic disease transmitted through the bite of infected
Anopheles mosquitoes. The WHO estimates that more than two billion people live in
malarious areas of the world in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. The
emergence and spread of drug resistance, production and availability of counterfeit
medications, and mosquito resistance to insecticides make the development of a safe,
effective, and affordable malaria vaccine critical as an adjunct to other preventive
measures. Because CelTOS is essential for establishing parasite infections in both the
human and mosquito hosts, IDRI, USAID, and WRAIR are hopeful that the
development of the CelTOS — GLA-SE malaria vaccine will provide a significant new
approach to a human malaria vaccine, targeting prevention of both human disease and
transmission of the parasite back to the mosquito.
"The collaboration with WRAIR illustrates again the broad utility of GLA-SE as a
vaccine adjuvant," Dr. Steven G. Reed, IDRI's Founder, President and Chief Scientific
Officer, stated."We are very excited to be moving this important project ahead and
particularly pleased with the validating interest from USAID."
"The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research is pleased that both IDRI and USAID
have partnered with us in helping support the development of malaria vaccines to
prevent infection in children worldwide and to protect our men and women serving in
uniform in areas of the world where malaria is still a major infectious disease." said
COL Christian Ockenhouse, Director of WRAIRsʼ Malaria Vaccine Development
Program.
Dr. Carter Diggs, Senior Technical Advisor for the USAID Malaria Vaccine
Development Program added that "In spite of dramatic progress in malaria control, the
disease is still a major killer of children in the developing world. USAID is very pleased
with this collaboration, which combines exploration of the vaccine potential of an
untested, but promising malaria antigen with this leading edge adjuvant system."
About IDRI
The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) is a Seattle-based not-for-profit organization committed to applying innovative science to the research and development of products to prevent, detect, and treat infectious diseases of poverty. By integrating capabilities, including early stage drug discovery, preclinical testing, manufacturing, and clinical trials, IDRI strives to create an efficient pathway bringing scientific innovation from the laboratory to the people who need it most. For more information, visit www.idri.org.
IDRI contact:
Erik Iverson | 206.518.6280 | media@idri.org
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