Advertisement

Oxford scientists develop promising malaria shot

Scientists around the world have been working for decades to develop a vaccine to prevent the deadly disease malaria.

They may have finally had a breakthrough.

A shot has been developed by a team of scientists, directed by one of the lead researchers behind the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

And it is proving highly effective in a trial in babies in Africa.

The complex infection caused by a parasite carried in the saliva of mosquitoes kills up to half a million young children a year.

Researchers say the candidate vaccine has shown up to 77% efficacy in the year-long trial of 450 children in Burkina Faso.

The world's first and only licensed malaria vaccine developed by GlaxoSmithKline is only partially effective at around 30%.

The team now plans to conduct final stage trials in some 4,800 children in four African countries.