Project description
Targeting malaria at multiple stages to cut transmission
The HORIZON 2024 EDCTP3 call highlights the need for a vaccine to interrupt malaria transmission. The first licensed malaria vaccines, RTS,S and R21, are expected to reduce childhood deaths in Africa. Building on this progress, the EU-funded PfVIMT project aims to accelerate approval of Pfs230D1+R21, the first multistage malaria vaccine designed to interrupt transmission, reduce clinical disease and eliminate malaria from communities. While R21 targets Plasmodium sporozoites in skin and liver, Pfs230D1 disrupts gametes in mosquitoes, achieving >85 % reduction in mosquito infection during a Phase 2 trial. Pfs230D1+R21 efficacy will be assessed by an in vivo direct skin feeding bioassay that mimics natural parasite transmission. Mathematical modelling suggests Pfs230D1+R21 could reduce malaria burden in high-transmission regions by up to 80 %.
Objective
This proposal responds to the HORIZON 2024 call “EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking: Research on existing Malaria vaccines and development of new promising candidates.”The malaria epidemic will not stop without a safe, efficacious, and affordable vaccine that can interrupt transmission. The first licensed malaria vaccines, RTS,S and R21, will substantially reduce childhood deaths in Africa. We propose to pursue accelerated approval of Pfs230D1+R21, the first multi-stage malaria vaccine to reduce transmission, which will reduce clinical malaria rates and support control and elimination. While R21 kills sporozoites in skin/liver, Pfs230D1 lyses gametes in mosquitoes. In field trials with adults and children, Pfs230D1 reduced mosquito infection rates >75%. Pfs230D1+R21 development relies on in-vivo direct-skin-feeding (DSF) bioassay, that feeds mosquitoes on skin to recapitulate natural parasite transmission, to measure reasonably likely surrogate efficacy endpoints for accelerated licensure. Modelling R21 and Pfs230D1 field efficacy data suggests Pfs230D1+R21 will substantially reduce malaria burden in high-transmission zones, while other simulations predict accelerated elimination in low-transmission zones. Through innovative trial designs and capacity-building, we will pursue EDCTP3 aims: 1) establish safety and efficacy of a multi-stage vaccine to reduce transmission; 2) pursue accelerated approval of Pfs230D1+R21; 3) expand population-wide long-term safety and efficacy data on R21; and 4) generate expertise and data to inform recommendations that expand cGMP and supply chain for vaccines in Africa. The program will expand clinical trial capacity for transmission-blocking interventions, build expertise and evidence to support future vaccine manufacture in Africa, and improve understanding of malaria immunity including correlates of protection. At project end, an approved multi-stage malaria vaccine to reduce transmission will be poised for Phase 4 cluster-randomized trials.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.2.1 - Health
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-JU-RIA - HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2024-01-two-stage
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
13572 Marseille
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.