RTS,S:Malaria Vaccine Trial Begins in Kintampo

Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC)has successfully started a Phase IIb RTS,S vaccine trial in Kintampo, Ghana. This trial will evaluate the administration of RTS,S candidate malaria vaccine in children; 5 months to17 months old.

The purpose of this vaccine trial is to assess it’s safety in this age group.  The trial is particularly significant, as it will compare the impact of three potential immunization schedules on the immune response .This will enable the partners to identify the most effective immunization schedule prior to the commencement of Phase III studies. In light of previous promising results, the study is also designed to further compare two vaccine formulations containing two different adjuvant systems with the view of selecting the most potent vaccine formulation.

KHRC is conducting this trial in collaboration with GSK Biologicals, the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI), and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research/School of Medical Sciences, Ghana (KCCR/SMS).

About 540 children will be involved in this phase of the trial. KHRC will recruit and coordinate half of the children in Kintampo while the other half will be recruited in Agogo, Ghana under the coordination of KCCR/SMS.

KHRC and her partners in this trial are dedicated to improving the quality of health care in the area, and to strengthening capacity with the aim of achieving a safe and efficacious vaccine for malaria control in Africa and other endemic regions.