World’s 1st malaria vaccine to start pilot studies in Africa

• Leading malaria vaccine a disappointment but could still reduce cases
• Malaria drug resistance poses ‘enormous threat’
   

Pedro Alonso, director of the WHO’s Global Malaria program, said on Thursday that securing funding and being able to trial the vaccine in Africa pilots would be a milestone in the fight against malaria.

RTS,S was developed by GSK in partnership with the non-profit PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative and part-funded by the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation.