Project description:The Sanaria® PfSPZ Vaccine can confer sterilizing protection against liver stage infection by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) in malaria naïve individuals. The vaccine consists of aseptically purified irradiated Pf sporozoites. The PfSPZ Vaccine trial in Mali was the first to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this vaccine in a malaria endemic region. Vaccinees received five doses of 2.7 X 105 irradiated sporozoites and the efficacy was measured against naturally occurring Pf Infections in Malian adults during the malaria transmission season.
Project description:This trial will evaluate whether relatively non-immune populations in endemic countries can effectively generate significant cellular and humoral immune responses that confer protection against P. falciparum infection after inoculation of aseptic, purified, vialed, metabolically active, non-replicating (live, radiation attenuated) Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites (PfSPZ Vaccine) administered intravenously (IV).
Project description:BACKGROUND: Preclinical studies have demonstrated that pharmacological mobilization and recruitment of endogenous bone marrow stem cells and immunoregulatory cells by a combination of plerixafor and low-dose tacrolimus (MRG-001) improves wound healing, promotes tissue regeneration and prevents allograft rejection. This first‐in‐human phase I dose‐escalation study evaluates the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of MRG-001, a novel fixed-dose combination drug. METHODS: In this Phase 1, double‐blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, multiple ascending dose (MAD) cohorts are randomized to receive MRG-001 containing up to 0.02 mL/kg (plerixafor 24 mg/mL and tacrolimus 0.5 mg/mL) or saline placebo, subcutaneously every other day (SC, QAD) for 5 days (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04646603)The primary outcome is safety and tolerability. Safety and functional assessments are performed throughout the study. Blood samples are collected to evaluate systemic exposure. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis and RNA expression of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are used to evaluate the pharmacodynamics. RESULTS: Fourteen subjects received MRG-001 and 7 received a placebo. MRG-001 is safe and well-tolerated over the selected dose range. No deaths or severe adverse events are reported. There are no clinically significant laboratory changes after MRG-001 administration, apart from the predicted generalized leukocytosis. The intermediate dose group (0.01 mL/kg) showed the most significant white blood cell mobilization over time and increased by 2-4 fold from baseline and returned to baseline levels prior to the next injection. Circulating immune cells including FOXP3+ regulatory T cells and hematopoietic stem cells (CD45IntCD34+) increased significantly after MRG-001 injection. PBMC RNA sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis revealeds 31 down-regulated pathways in the intermediate dose MRG-001 group compared to no changes in the placebo group. CONCLUSION: MRG-001 is safe and well-tolerated across the full dose ranges tested. MRG-001 may be a clinically useful therapy for immunoregulation and tissue regeneration. A Phase II trial to treat severely and critically ill COVID-19 patients with MRG-001 has been initiated (NCT04646603) and a second phase II trial will explore the potential of MRG-001 to accelerate wound healing (NCT05844527),
Project description:The Sanaria® PfSPZ Vaccine can confer sterilizing protection against liver stage infection by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) in malaria naïve individuals. The vaccine consists of aseptically purified irradiated Pf sporozoites. Vaccinees received either 3 doses of 1.8M irradiated sporozoites or 5 doses of 270K. Efficacy was measured by challenged by controlled human malaria infections (CHMI) at 3 weeks and 24 weeks after the last vaccine dose
Project description:The Sanaria® PfSPZ Vaccine can confer sterilizing protection against liver stage infection by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) in malaria naïve individuals. The vaccine consists of aseptically purified irradiated Pf sporozoites. Vaccinees received 3 doses of 1.8 X 106 irradiated sporozoites. Efficacy was measured by challenged by controlled human malaria infections (CHMI), and against naturally occurring Pf Infections in Malian adults during the malaria transmission season
Project description:The radiation-attenuated Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites (PfSPZ) Vaccine has demonstrated safety and immunogenicity in 5-month-old to 50-year-old Africans in multiple trials. Except for one, each trial has restricted enrollment to either infants and children or adults < 50 years old. This trial was conducted in Equatorial Guinea and assessed the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of three direct venous inoculations of 1.8 × 106 or 2.7 × 106 PfSPZ, of PfSPZ Vaccine, or normal saline administered at 8-week intervals in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial stratified by age (6-11 months and 1-5, 6-10, 11-17, 18-35, and 36-61 years). All doses were successfully administered. In all, 192/207 injections (93%) in those aged 6-61 years were rated as causing no or mild pain. There were no significant differences in solicited adverse events (AEs) between vaccinees and controls in any age group (P ≥ 0.17). There were no significant differences between vaccinees and controls with respect to the rates or severity of unsolicited AEs or laboratory abnormalities. Development of antibodies to P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein occurred in 67/69 vaccinees (97%) and 0/15 controls. Median antibody levels were highest in infants and 1-5-year-olds and declined progressively with age. Antibody responses in children were greater than in adults protected against controlled human malaria infection. Robust immunogenicity, combined with a benign AE profile, indicates children are an ideal target for immunization with PfSPZ Vaccine.