ExpreS2ion Biotechnologies: Publication of clinical Phase IIb trial data for the adjuvanted RH5.1 blood-stage malaria vaccine
Hørsholm, Denmark, 11 December 2024 - ExpreS2ion Biotech Holding AB's affiliate ExpreS2ion Biotechnologies ApS ("ExpreS2ion") announces the new publication in The Lancet Infectious Diseases titled "Safety and efficacy of the blood-stage malaria vaccine RH5.1/Matrix-M in Burkina Faso: interim results of a double-blind, randomised, controlled phase 2b trial in children". The article is based on a clinical study conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford. The promising results reported by the University of Oxford further validate the potential of these vaccine candidates in the fight against malaria and underscore their ability to meet the WHO's ambitious goal of 75% efficacy. These findings mark an important milestone in the global effort to combat this devastating disease.
Chief Scientific Officer Farshad Guirakhoo, comments
"These are the first data demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the RH5.1/Matrix-M blood-stage malaria vaccine in preventing clinical malaria over a six-month follow-up period in infants aged 5-17 months. Importantly, the findings reveal that delaying the booster dose results in higher levels of antibodies against the parasite in the blood, potentially enhancing both humoral and cellular immunity against malaria. We are eager to see upcoming studies that explore the long-term efficacy of this vaccine and evaluate its effectiveness when combined with approved liver-stage malaria vaccines, providing a complementary line of defence against the parasite as it enters the bloodstream."
The article can be reached via this link: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(24)00752-7.
About the Malaria Vaccine Programs Utilizing the ExpreS2™ System
Since 2012, ExpreS2ion has supported malaria vaccine research initiatives, led by Prof. Simon J. Draper, Professor of Vaccinology and Translational Medicine at the University of Oxford. This collaboration has given rise to several malaria vaccine projects, including RH5.1 and R78C, both of which rely on ExpreS2ion's proprietary ExpreS2™ technology for antigen production. Notably, this system has proven to be the only platform capable of generating enough of the active ingredients required for on-going clinical vaccine development. Importantly, these vaccines are designed to target the "blood stage" of the malaria parasite's life cycle as opposed to existing vaccines like R21/Matrix-M and RTS,S/AS01 which target the "liver stage". Based on promising clinical results from the University of Oxford, there is a strong expectation that a vaccine addressing both stages, could provide comprehensive protection against malaria.
On 16 October 2024, ExpreS2ion and Serum Institute of India have entered in a term sheet regarding proposed development and commercialisation of lead vaccine candidates based on RH5.1 and R78C malaria antigens produced with the clinical Phase III-validated ExpreS2 system.
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