NIGERIAN medical professionals have
applauded the early-stage clinical evaluation of
an investigational malaria vaccine known as the
PfSPZ Vaccine, conducted by researchers at the
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases, NIAID, part of the National Institutes
of Health.
In a report published last week in Science – a
scientific journal, announcing the phase 1 trial
of the vaccine, researchers observed that from
preliminary studies, the vaccine had been
found to be safe, to generate an immune
system response, and to offer protection
against malaria infection in healthy adults.
An additional tool
Reacting to the development, National
Coordinator, National Malaria Control
Programme, NMCP, Dr Nnenna Ezeigwe,
described it as a welcome development.
“The news is welcome as are other vaccine
projects that are going on at various stages of
trial. The process for this one is just starting
and if it is to be pursued, will take 8-10 years
for it to come to be.
“The first in line and closest at hand known as
RTS,S is at the final stage of testing and if
everything goes right, that one should be able
to come into use in 2015. That one is
undergoing the last stage of trial which is the
phase 3. Nigeria is one of the countries where
the final stages of the trial are being carried
out. The centres are in Jos and Enugu.”
She said:”If the results of the trial for RTS,S
continue to show green light, if things continue
the way we are expecting, by 2015, that
vaccine should be recommended for use by
the World Health Organization, WHO.
“The new product that we are talking about has
simply shown some promise worth exploring
further and would take a long time to come
into fruition if all continue to go well. However
when this or other vaccine comes into effect,
we are going to use it in addition to what we
are already doing in malaria control.
Further, she said: “This is just the beginning
for the new product as far as the process for a
vaccine is concerned. If at the third stage it is
proven to be 100 percent protective, other
issues may have to be considered such as costs
and other things. Based on several
considerations a decision has to be made
whether we can use the vaccine or stick to
other measures. But the important thing is
that we have an additional tool to our arsenal.
“We would not stop doing what we are doing
currently to prevent malaria, including use of
long lasting insecticide treated bed nets,
prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment,
intermittent prevention in pregnant women,
environmental and other measures.
“That is the message to take from this.
Everyone is excited, I am excited too because
there are already 20 vaccines in line, including
this one. If the ones we think would be
successful prove not to be so, we would be
hopeful that the others might be okay,
knowing that we have others to assess. It is
something to be happy about, I am happy
about it but it does not mean we should go to
sleep.
Invest in indigenous vaccines
Applauding the feat with a commendation of
the team of researchers from the NIAID,
President of the Nigerian Medical Association,
NMA, Dr. Osahon Enebulele, called for more
research into development of indigenous
vaccines.
“We strongly call on Nigerian governments at
all levels, to invest more in the search for an
indigenous malaria vaccine in Nigeria that can
protect against other strains of the malaria
parasite, besides Plasmodium falciparum.
“We also urge scientists and researchers in
Africa, and Nigeria in particular to advance the
study by replicating it in the various scientific
research institutes in Nigeria.”
Enebulele, who is also Vice President of the
Commonwealth Medical Association, observed
that the NMA is particularly excited by the
outcome of the Phase 1 clinical trial on
account of the fact that it offers great hope to
the African region where malaria is pre-
eminently endemic.
“As we await the outcome of further clinical
trials of the vaccine candidate, the NMA
strongly advises great caution in the
interpretation of the research finding as more
field studies using a larger number of study
subjects need to be conducted in order to
validate the effectiveness of the vaccine and
the duration of the malaria protective period.
“Similarly, we advise that other on-going
research efforts to develop other vaccine
candidates (about 20 vaccine candidates at
various clinical trial stages) should be stepped
up.
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