Long-lasting malaria vaccine targeting the circumsporozoite protein
Official title: Epitope-Based CSP Vaccines Optimized to Achieve Long-Term Sterile Immunity
Funded at Vaccine Research Institute of San Diego · NIH-11170504 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new low-cost vaccine aims to teach the immune system to make strong antibodies against the malaria parasite's surface protein to protect people at risk of Plasmodium falciparum.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vaccine Research Institute of San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | August 23, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $688,369 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI175705-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11170504 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people at risk for Plasmodium falciparum malaria, especially children and adults living in endemic areas or travelers to those regions.
✕Less likely to help
People not at risk for P. falciparum malaria, those infected with other malaria species, or individuals with severe immune suppression may not benefit.
What this research studies
I want a vaccine that protects me from malaria for many years; this project uses harmless virus-like particles from a woodchuck virus to display key bits of the parasite's circumsporozoite (CS) protein so my immune system makes strong neutralizing antibodies. The vaccine pieces are made in bacteria to keep costs low and combine B cell target repeats with “universal” malaria-specific T cell regions to boost durable immunity. Lab and animal tests will check whether the antibodies stop infection and last longer than current vaccines, with the aim of moving to human testing if results are promising.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide long-lasting sterile protection against P. falciparum malaria with a low-cost vaccine suitable for use in endemic regions.
How similar studies have gone: Existing vaccines like RTS,S and R21 produced partial and time-limited protection, and while virus-like particle vaccines and protective human monoclonal antibody data are promising, this exact epitope-focused WHcAg approach has not yet been proven in humans.
Where this research is happening
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Vaccine Research Institute of San Diego
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Milich, David R. — Vaccine Research Institute of San Diego
- Study coordinator: Milich, David R.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.