AdFalciVax for Malaria:
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is developing a novel chimeric malaria vaccine AdFalciVax.
- AdFalciVax is a multistage malaria vaccine targeting two key stages of Plasmodium falciparum (pre-erythrocytic stage (liver) and sexual stage (that allows transmission via mosquitoes) using Lactococcus lactis (a safe, food-grade bacterium).
- It aims to protect individuals and reduce transmission and supports the Make in India initiative and malaria elimination goals.
- A “chimeric” vaccine is one that combines genetic material from different sources to create a hybrid or recombinant structure.
- Malaria is caused by the Plasmodium parasite, transmitted by infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
- It’s prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions like sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America.
- Malaria parasites first infect the liver, then enter red blood cells. Symptoms include fever, chills, fatigue, and headache. Severe cases can lead to organ failure or death. It is both preventable and curable.
- R21/Matrix-M and RTS,S vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective in preventing malaria in children, and are expected to have a significant public health impact.
- Treatment includes drugs like chloroquine and artemisinin. Youyou Tu received the Nobel Prize for discovering artemisinin.
