Platform for Plasmodium vivax vaccine discovery and development

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 106 Suppl 1; no. suppl 1; pp. 179 - 192
• Main Authors: Valencia, Sócrates Herrera, Rodríguez, Diana Carolina, Acero, Diana Lucía, Ocampo, Vanessa, Arévalo-Herrera, Myriam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 01.08.2011; Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, Protozoan - immunology; Clinical Trials as Topic; discovery; Humans; Latin America; malaria; Malaria Vaccines - immunology; Malaria, Vivax - immunology; Malaria, Vivax - prevention & control; neglected disease; PARASITOLOGY; Plasmodium vivax; Plasmodium vivax - immunology; Protozoan Proteins - immunology; Receptors, Cell Surface - immunology; TROPICAL MEDICINE; vaccine development; vaccine platform; Latin America; Plasmodium vivax; vaccine development; discovery; neglected disease; vaccine platform; malaria; Latin America
• ISSN: 0074-0276; 1678-8060; 1678-8060; 0074-0276
• DOI: 10.1590/S0074-02762011000900023

Plasmodium vivax is the most prevalent malaria parasite on the American continent. It generates a global burden of 80-100 million cases annually and represents a tremendous public health problem, particularly in the American and Asian continents. A malaria vaccine would be considered the most cost-effective measure against this vector-borne disease and it would contribute to a reduction in malaria cases and to eventual eradication. Although significant progress has been achieved in the search for Plasmodium falciparum antigens that could be used in a vaccine, limited progress has been made in the search for P. vivax components that might be eligible for vaccine development. This is primarily due to the lack of in vitro cultures to serve as an antigen source and to inadequate funding. While the most advanced P. falciparum vaccine candidate is currently being tested in Phase III trials in Africa, the most advanced P. vivax candidates have only advanced to Phase I trials. Herein, we describe the overall strategy and progress in P. vivax vaccine research, from antigen discovery to preclinical and clinical development and we discuss the regional potential of Latin America to develop a comprehensive platform for vaccine development.