Malaria vaccine boost for Monash researchers

The search for a vaccine for malaria has intensified after Monash University researchers received a major international grant to help their assault on the deadly disease.

Monash University and biotechnology company Progen Industries will receive $3.1 million from the US-based Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI), funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The funding is to be used in developing two promising vaccines based on merozoite surface proteins 4 and 5, which have shown promising results in pre-clinical tests and are considered particularly appropriate targets for vaccines designed to protect children.

The project will fund efforts to manufacture the vaccines ready for human testing by late 2004.

Deputy vice-chancellor (Research and Development) Professor Peter Darvall said Monash was one of only three Australian research organisations selected for funding for vaccine development projects.

"Monash researchers have been working tirelessly on developing a vaccine for malaria for many years on limited research funds," Professor Darvall said. "This grant, using US funds and partners and significant industry support, means their important work can continue."

One of Australia's pre-eminent malaria scientists, Professor Ross Coppel, who leads the team working on vaccines at Monash University's Department of Microbiology, said he was excited about the potential of the research.

"Diseases of the Third World tend not to attract the attention of large pharmaceutical companies because the return on investment is low and the high costs of drug and vaccine development cannot be recouped," he said.

"The support of MVI allows us to take our research to a much later stage, so that companies can become involved when efficacy has already been demonstrated. This minimises their risk and makes involvement in malaria vaccines economical for them."

"We are delighted to be given this opportunity to develop our vaccine for use in humans. For me it is the culmination of 20 years of research and I would like to acknowledge the efforts of my colleagues over that time, both at Monash University and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute."