Sm-p80-Based Schistosomiasis Vaccine: Preparation for Human Clinical Trials

• Published in: Trends in parasitology Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 194 - 201
• Main Authors: Siddiqui, Afzal A, Siddiqui, Sabrina Z
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2017
• Subjects: Antigens, Helminth - immunology; Clinical Trials as Topic; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Global Health - standards; Global Health - trends; Humans; Infectious Disease; neglected tropical disease (NTD); protective immunity; Schistosoma haematobium; Schistosoma japonicum; Schistosoma mansoni; schistosomiasis; Schistosomiasis - prevention & control; vaccine; Vaccines - standards; Schistosoma mansoni; vaccine; Schistosoma haematobium; neglected tropical disease (NTD); schistosomiasis; Schistosoma japonicum; protective immunity
• ISSN: 1471-4922; 1471-5007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2016.10.010

Mass antiparasitic drug administration programs and other control strategies have made important contributions in reducing the global prevalence of helminths. Schistosomiasis, however, continues to spread to new geographic areas. The advent of a viable vaccine and its deployment, coupled with existing control efforts, is expected to make significant headway towards sustained schistosomiasis control. In 2016, Science ranked the schistosomiasis vaccine as one of the top 10 vaccines that needs to be urgently developed. A vaccine that is effective against geographically distinct forms of intestinal/hepatic and urinary disease is essential to make a meaningful impact in global reduction of the disease burden. In this opinion article, we focus on salient features of schistosomiasis vaccines in different phases of the clinical development pipeline and highlight the Sm-p80-based vaccine which is now being prepared for human clinical trials.