Malaria vaccine development
It is generally accepted that the
best chance for long range control of malaria lies in the development of one or
more malaria vaccines. The lead federal agency for vaccine development is the
NIH. Through the NIAID, the LPD has launched the Malaria Vaccine Development
Unit (MVDU). To support clinical and field trials of malaria vaccine candidates
produced by the MVDU and other agencies, the MRTC has been designated as the
primary partner.
It is expected that the first trials
of a vaccine candidate began in 2002 at the Doneguebougou test site. Doneguebougou
is a village of 4,000 inhabitants located about 30 kilometers north of the
main MRTC laboratories at the medical school. A facility will be constructed
and equipped to permit the conduct of phase I, IIand eventually phase III
trials. The MRTC is conducting an intense epidemiological characterization
of malaria transmission in Doneguebougou and Sotuba. These studies were begun
in 1999 and include both entomological surveys and determinations of entomological
inoculation rates, and surveys for infection and disease in the human population,
with support from the NIAID’s Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
(DMID), The University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Center for Vaccine
Development is working with the MRTC to prepare the Bandiagara Research Station
as a second field trial site located 700 km north of Bamako at the edge of
the Dogon Plateau. The Bandiagara site will be used for testing- vaccine candidates
from the MVDU or those supported by DMID. Dr. Christopher Plowe, a former
fellow at the LPD, NIH, directs the UMD program.
A third site located at Bancoumana
is being prepared for testing transmission-blocking vaccines. This site was
funded since 1996 by the NIH Mali-Tulane TMRC grant.
Dr. Ogobara Doumbo heads the
vaccine testing program at the MRTC. He has worked with the NIH since 1990 and
has had intensive training in Epidemiology and vaccine trial operations at The
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Dr. Mahamadou Thera recently completed a
one-year traineeship in Product Research and Development and conducting of
vaccine trials at Smith Kline Beecham Biologicals in Belgium. Dr. Alassane
Dicko has just completed an MSc in Vaccinology at the Center for Vaccine
Development at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. These individuals
will provide the leadership team for field trials.
A diagnostic laboratory is being
developed at the MRTC to support clinical trials. The laboratory is designed
to approach as closely as possible, CLIA standards of operation in order to
meet FDA standards for trial support. Four MRTC scientists, including Dr.
Dapa Diallo, Professor of Hematology at the medical school, have recently
completed a training program in CLIA operations at the Clinical Center at
the NIH.