After decades of trials, the world has potentially found a new silver bullet against malaria, one of the oldest and deadliest infectious diseases.
With several concerns especially on the efficacy, funding and sustainability of the new vaccine, here are 10 things you should know about Mosquirix.Mosquirix is not just the first approved vaccine for malaria, it is the first developed for any parasitic disease. In a bid to accommodate a larger group and guarantee a sustained availability for the general public, GSK applied for a marketing license with the European Medicines Agency in July 2014. GSK treated the project as a non-profit initiative, with most funding coming from the Gates Foundation, a major contributor to malaria eradication.
According to the EMA, Mosquirix requires up to four doses, and its protection fades after several months. Following clinical trials, the vaccine was tried out in Kenya, Malawi and Ghana — where it was incorporated into routine immunisation programs. Azra Ghani, chair of infectious diseases at Imperial College London, said she and colleagues estimate that giving the malaria vaccine to children in Africa might result in a 30 per cent reduction overall, with up to 8 million fewer cases and as many as 40,000 fewer deaths per year.
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