Safety and immunogenicity of the malaria vaccine candidate GMZ2 in malaria-exposed adult individuals from Lambaréné Gabon

摘要

Malaria is still one of the major public health threats in sub-Saharan Africa. An effective vaccine could be a sustainable control measure that can be integrated into existing health infrastructures. The malaria vaccine candidate GMZ2 is a recombinant fusion protein of conserved parts of Plasmodium falciparum Glutamate Rich Protein and Merozoite Surface Protein 3 adjuvanted with aluminium hydroxide. GMZ2 is immunogenic and well tolerated in malaria-naive adults from Germany. To assess safety and immunogenicity in malaria exposed individuals, 40 adults from Lambaréné, Gabon were randomly assigned to receive either 100 μg GMZ2 or a rabies control vaccine three times in monthly intervals. Both vaccines were well tolerated. GMZ2 induced antibodies and memory B-cell responses, despite a high prevalence of GMZ2-specific immune reactivity due to previous intense exposure to P. falciparum.