GlaxoSmithKline, Malaria Vaccine Initiative receive $107.6 million Gates grant for malaria vaccine

By Angela McDaniels

Seattle, Oct. 31 - GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals said the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded a $107.6 million grant to the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative that will allow the Initiative and GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals to complete development of malaria vaccine candidate RTS,S.

If all the project milestones are achieved, the agreement will take the vaccine through licensing and introduction to African immunization programs, GlaxoSmithKline said.

A 2004 proof-of-concept trial in Mozambique found that RTS,S reduced severe malaria in children ages 1 to 4 by 58%, the company said. The new trials will include studies to assess the vaccine in younger age groups including infants and will be followed by a large-scale phase-3 clinical trial.

Most of the new grant will directly support clinical trials in Africa. GlaxoSmithKline said it will match or exceed the $21.4 million it receives from the Institute to help defray some of the clinical development costs.

The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative is a global program with a mission to accelerate the development of malaria vaccines and ensure their availability for the developing world.

GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals is a pharmaceutical company that develops vaccines and is located in Rixensart, Belgium.

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