Natama, H.M., et al. Safety and efficacy of the blood-stage malaria vaccine RH5.1/Matrix-M in Burkina Faso: interim results of a double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 2b trial in children.

Natama, H.M., et al. Safety and efficacy of the blood-stage malaria vaccine RH5.1/Matrix-M in Burkina Faso: interim results of a double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 2b trial in children.

Lancet Infect Dis, 2025 May, 25(5):495-506. PMID: 39672183

• This report presents interim results from a phase 2b clinical trial evaluating the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of the blood-stage malaria vaccine RH5.1/Matrix-M in children aged 5 to 17 months in Burkina Faso, a seasonal transmission area. 
• The vaccine demonstrated a good safety profile, with mostly mild local and systemic reactions and no serious adverse events. The findings also indicate significant efficacy against clinical malaria, especially when the third dose is administered with a delayed schedule of 4 to 6 months, suggesting this approach may enhance immune responses and protection. 
• Matrix-M plays a crucial role in inducing robust antibody responses and functional in vitro growth inhibition activity, which are key to the vaccine’s efficacy against blood-stage malaria. The study highlights that the inclusion of Matrix-M contributed to the strong immunogenic profile observed in children and supports its use in future malaria vaccine development strategies. These results support the potential use of this vaccine as part of a multi-stage malaria vaccination strategy to improve control by targeting both the liver and blood stages of the parasite.

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