World's First Malaria Vaccine - Researched by GlaxoSmithKline and the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative for 30 years, the European Medicines Agency gave a positive review today for RTS.S or Mosquirix, also called the world's first malaria vaccine.
The positive review, however, does not necessarily mean that the world's first malaria vaccine is available for public use indefinitely.
The EMA approval is simply the first major step needed in order to bring the vaccine to the public, according to Fortune.
The next step would be for the World Health Organization to take this opinion into consideration as they make their own recommendation. Once the world's first malaria vaccine has been approved by the WHO, GSK can then market the drug to African countries and be used on children, according to The Economic Times.
The RTS.S or Mosquirix vaccine was found most effective on newborn children aged between five and 17 months. In addition, cases in infants aged between six and 12 weeks old affected by the illness was cut by 27 percent.
However, the effect of the world's first malaria vaccine reportedly starts fading after a year. Though when combined with current preventative efforts, researchers believe its effectivity in reducing malaria cases and deaths is higher, according to Headlines & Global News.
"While RTS.S on its own is not the complete answer to malaria. Its use alongside those interventions currently available such as bed nets and insecticides would provide a very meaningful contribution to controlling the impact of malaria on children in those African communities that need it the most." Chief Executive Andrew Witty of GlaxoSmithKline said in a press release.
"This is not the big game-changer that we were hoping for," malaria expert Martin De Smet at Doctors Without Borders told the AP.
The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative has been funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The project has been allocated more than $200 million. GSK spent more than $365 million on its efforts to produce the world's first malaria vaccine and the company said it will not make a profit from it. The amount would simply cover manufacturing costs, after which a small return would then be reinvested in further malaria research, according to CNN.
Mosquirix is the first vaccine to fight a parasite. Up until now, vaccines have only been directed at viruses and bacteria.
Malaria is spread by mosquito bites, whose bites carry parasites called plasmodia. Malaria is listed by the WHO as the fifth biggest killer in sub-Saharan Africa.
The WHO assessment is expected by November this year, reported Popular Science. The soonest that the WHO can give the license approval for the vaccine is 2017.
