Study of Malaria Vaccine RTS,S/AS01E in Plasmodium Falciparum-infected and Uninfected Adults Pre-treated With Anti-malarial Therapy

Summary

The main goal of this study is to assess the efficacy of RTS,S/AS01E, a candidate vaccine against malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum), in adults positive for P. falciparum at the start of the study, but treated with anti-malarial medications to clear the parasite before receiving multiple doses of the vaccine. The goal is to overcome the reduced vaccine efficacy (hypo-responsiveness to the vaccine) reported in actively or chronically infected adults.

Timeline

Start

2020-11-06

Primary completion

2022-06-22

Completion

2022-08-17

Publications

• Background RTS,S Clinical Trials Partnership; Agnandji ST, Lell B, Soulanoudjingar SS, Fernandes JF, Abossolo BP, Conzelmann C, Methogo BG, Doucka Y, Flamen A, Mordmuller B, Issifou S, Kremsner PG, Sacarlal J, Aide P, Lanaspa M, Aponte JJ, Nhamuave A, Quelhas D, Bassat Q, Mandjate S, Macete E, Alonso P, Abdulla S, Salim N, Juma O, Shomari M, Shubis K, Machera F, Hamad AS, Minja R, Mtoro A, Sykes A, Ahmed S, Urassa AM, Ali AM, Mwangoka G, Tanner M, Tinto H, D'Alessandro U, Sorgho H, Valea I, Tahita MC, Kabore W, Ouedraogo S, Sandrine Y, Guiguemde RT, Ouedraogo JB, Hamel MJ, Kariuki S, Odero C, Oneko M, Otieno K, Awino N, Omoto J, Williamson J, Muturi-Kioi V, Laserson KF, Slutsker L, Otieno W, Otieno L, Nekoye O, Gondi S, Otieno A, Ogutu B, Wasuna R, Owira V, Jones D, Onyango AA, Njuguna P, Chilengi R, Akoo P, Kerubo C, Gitaka J, Maingi C, Lang T, Olotu A, Tsofa B, Bejon P, Peshu N, Marsh K, Owusu-Agyei S, Asante KP, Osei-Kwakye K, Boahen O, Ayamba S, Kayan K, Owusu-Ofori R, Dosoo D, Asante I, Adjei G, Adjei G, Chandramohan D, Greenwood B, Lusingu J, Gesase S, Malabeja A, Abdul O, Kilavo H, Mahende C, Liheluka E, Lemnge M, Theander T, Drakeley C, Ansong D, Agbenyega T, Adjei S, Boateng HO, Rettig T, Bawa J, Sylverken J, Sambian D, Agyekum A, Owusu L, Martinson F, Hoffman I, Mvalo T, Kamthunzi P, Nkomo R, Msika A, Jumbe A, Chome N, Nyakuipa D, Chintedza J, Ballou WR, Bruls M, Cohen J, Guerra Y, Jongert E, Lapierre D, Leach A, Lievens M, Ofori-Anyinam O, Vekemans J, Carter T, Leboulleux D, Loucq C, Radford A, Savarese B, Schellenberg D, Sillman M, Vansadia P. First results of phase 3 trial of RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine in African children. N Engl J Med. 2011 Nov 17;365(20):1863-75. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1102287. Epub 2011 Oct 18.
• Background RTS,S Clinical Trials Partnership; Agnandji ST, Lell B, Fernandes JF, Abossolo BP, Methogo BG, Kabwende AL, Adegnika AA, Mordmuller B, Issifou S, Kremsner PG, Sacarlal J, Aide P, Lanaspa M, Aponte JJ, Machevo S, Acacio S, Bulo H, Sigauque B, Macete E, Alonso P, Abdulla S, Salim N, Minja R, Mpina M, Ahmed S, Ali AM, Mtoro AT, Hamad AS, Mutani P, Tanner M, Tinto H, D'Alessandro U, Sorgho H, Valea I, Bihoun B, Guiraud I, Kabore B, Sombie O, Guiguemde RT, Ouedraogo JB, Hamel MJ, Kariuki S, Oneko M, Odero C, Otieno K, Awino N, McMorrow M, Muturi-Kioi V, Laserson KF, Slutsker L, Otieno W, Otieno L, Otsyula N, Gondi S, Otieno A, Owira V, Oguk E, Odongo G, Woods JB, Ogutu B, Njuguna P, Chilengi R, Akoo P, Kerubo C, Maingi C, Lang T, Olotu A, Bejon P, Marsh K, Mwambingu G, Owusu-Agyei S, Asante KP, Osei-Kwakye K, Boahen O, Dosoo D, Asante I, Adjei G, Kwara E, Chandramohan D, Greenwood B, Lusingu J, Gesase S, Malabeja A, Abdul O, Mahende C, Liheluka E, Malle L, Lemnge M, Theander TG, Drakeley C, Ansong D, Agbenyega T, Adjei S, Boateng HO, Rettig T, Bawa J, Sylverken J, Sambian D, Sarfo A, Agyekum A, Martinson F, Hoffman I, Mvalo T, Kamthunzi P, Nkomo R, Tembo T, Tegha G, Tsidya M, Kilembe J, Chawinga C, Ballou WR, Cohen J, Guerra Y, Jongert E, Lapierre D, Leach A, Lievens M, Ofori-Anyinam O, Olivier A, Vekemans J, Carter T, Kaslow D, Leboulleux D, Loucq C, Radford A, Savarese B, Schellenberg D, Sillman M, Vansadia P. A phase 3 trial of RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine in African infants. N Engl J Med. 2012 Dec 13;367(24):2284-95. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1208394. Epub 2012 Nov 9.
• Background RTS,S Clinical Trials Partnership. Efficacy and safety of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine during 18 months after vaccination: a phase 3 randomized, controlled trial in children and young infants at 11 African sites. PLoS Med. 2014 Jul 29;11(7):e1001685. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001685. eCollection 2014 Jul.
• Background RTS,S Clinical Trials Partnership. Efficacy and safety of RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine with or without a booster dose in infants and children in Africa: final results of a phase 3, individually randomised, controlled trial. Lancet. 2015 Jul 4;386(9988):31-45. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60721-8. Epub 2015 Apr 23.
• Background Kester KE, Cummings JF, Ofori-Anyinam O, Ockenhouse CF, Krzych U, Moris P, Schwenk R, Nielsen RA, Debebe Z, Pinelis E, Juompan L, Williams J, Dowler M, Stewart VA, Wirtz RA, Dubois MC, Lievens M, Cohen J, Ballou WR, Heppner DG Jr; RTS,S Vaccine Evaluation Group. Randomized, double-blind, phase 2a trial of falciparum malaria vaccines RTS,S/AS01B and RTS,S/AS02A in malaria-naive adults: safety, efficacy, and immunologic associates of protection. J Infect Dis. 2009 Aug 1;200(3):337-46. doi: 10.1086/600120.
• Background Regules JA, Cicatelli SB, Bennett JW, Paolino KM, Twomey PS, Moon JE, Kathcart AK, Hauns KD, Komisar JL, Qabar AN, Davidson SA, Dutta S, Griffith ME, Magee CD, Wojnarski M, Livezey JR, Kress AT, Waterman PE, Jongert E, Wille-Reece U, Volkmuth W, Emerling D, Robinson WH, Lievens M, Morelle D, Lee CK, Yassin-Rajkumar B, Weltzin R, Cohen J, Paris RM, Waters NC, Birkett AJ, Kaslow DC, Ballou WR, Ockenhouse CF, Vekemans J. Fractional Third and Fourth Dose of RTS,S/AS01 Malaria Candidate Vaccine: A Phase 2a Controlled Human Malaria Parasite Infection and Immunogenicity Study. J Infect Dis. 2016 Sep 1;214(5):762-71. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiw237. Epub 2016 Jun 13.
• Background Moorthy VS, Ballou WR. Immunological mechanisms underlying protection mediated by RTS,S: a review of the available data. Malar J. 2009 Dec 30;8:312. doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-8-312.
• Background Polhemus ME, Remich SA, Ogutu BR, Waitumbi JN, Otieno L, Apollo S, Cummings JF, Kester KE, Ockenhouse CF, Stewart A, Ofori-Anyinam O, Ramboer I, Cahill CP, Lievens M, Dubois MC, Demoitie MA, Leach A, Cohen J, Ballou WR, Heppner DG Jr. Evaluation of RTS,S/AS02A and RTS,S/AS01B in adults in a high malaria transmission area. PLoS One. 2009 Jul 31;4(7):e6465. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0006465.
• Background Wykes MN, Horne-Debets JM, Leow CY, Karunarathne DS. Malaria drives T cells to exhaustion. Front Microbiol. 2014 May 27;5:249. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00249. eCollection 2014.
• Background Keitany GJ, Kim KS, Krishnamurty AT, Hondowicz BD, Hahn WO, Dambrauskas N, Sather DN, Vaughan AM, Kappe SHI, Pepper M. Blood Stage Malaria Disrupts Humoral Immunity to the Pre-erythrocytic Stage Circumsporozoite Protein. Cell Rep. 2016 Dec 20;17(12):3193-3205. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.11.060.
• Background Illingworth J, Butler NS, Roetynck S, Mwacharo J, Pierce SK, Bejon P, Crompton PD, Marsh K, Ndungu FM. Chronic exposure to Plasmodium falciparum is associated with phenotypic evidence of B and T cell exhaustion. J Immunol. 2013 Feb 1;190(3):1038-47. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1202438. Epub 2012 Dec 21.
• Background Freeman GJ, Sharpe AH. A new therapeutic strategy for malaria: targeting T cell exhaustion. Nat Immunol. 2012 Jan 19;13(2):113-5. doi: 10.1038/ni.2211.
• Background Weiss GE, Crompton PD, Li S, Walsh LA, Moir S, Traore B, Kayentao K, Ongoiba A, Doumbo OK, Pierce SK. Atypical memory B cells are greatly expanded in individuals living in a malaria-endemic area. J Immunol. 2009 Aug 1;183(3):2176-82. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.0901297. Epub 2009 Jul 10.
• Background Weiss GE, Traore B, Kayentao K, Ongoiba A, Doumbo S, Doumtabe D, Kone Y, Dia S, Guindo A, Traore A, Huang CY, Miura K, Mircetic M, Li S, Baughman A, Narum DL, Miller LH, Doumbo OK, Pierce SK, Crompton PD. The Plasmodium falciparum-specific human memory B cell compartment expands gradually with repeated malaria infections. PLoS Pathog. 2010 May 20;6(5):e1000912. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000912.
• Background Butler NS, Moebius J, Pewe LL, Traore B, Doumbo OK, Tygrett LT, Waldschmidt TJ, Crompton PD, Harty JT. Therapeutic blockade of PD-L1 and LAG-3 rapidly clears established blood-stage Plasmodium infection. Nat Immunol. 2011 Dec 11;13(2):188-95. doi: 10.1038/ni.2180.
• Background Nielsen CM, Vekemans J, Lievens M, Kester KE, Regules JA, Ockenhouse CF. RTS,S malaria vaccine efficacy and immunogenicity during Plasmodium falciparum challenge is associated with HLA genotype. Vaccine. 2018 Mar 14;36(12):1637-1642. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.01.069. Epub 2018 Feb 10.
• Copeland NK, Otieno L, Otieno JD, Otieno S, Chira S, Ivinson K, Onyango I, Wasuna R, Akala H, Onditi A, Sifuna P, Andagalu B, Oyugi R, Omondi M, Amoit S, Locke E, Gregory S, Bergmann-Leitner ES, Pindolia H, Raine M, Gast C, Mercer LD, Aponte JJ, Lievens M, Ockenhouse CF, Lee CK. Efficacy of RTS,S/AS01E Only Seen in Baseline Parasitemic and Not Baseline Aparasitemic Plasmodium falciparum-Exposed, Drug-Treated Kenyan Adults. J Infect Dis. 2025 Sep 15;232(3):e372-e382. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf274.

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Indications