The vaccine is dead--long live the vaccine.
An important chapter in the search for a vaccine against malaria, that of the anti-Plasmodium falciparum vaccine candidate SPf66, has been effectively closed. A Cochrane review of ten major efficacy trials in endemic areas concluded it 'has little or no effect on preventing malaria'. This provides an appropriate opportunity to reflect on the perspectives for current and future vaccine formulations against Plasmodium.
Snounou
Georges
G
Parasitologie Comparée et Modèles Expérimentaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique IFR101, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France. snounou@mnhn.fr
Rénia
Laurent
L
D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006805:Human Experimentation; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017780:Malaria Vaccines; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000627:therapeutic use
D017780:Malaria Vaccines; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C066269:SPf66 protein, Plasmodium; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic