Malaria vaccine (MSP3-LSP) (Vac4All)

This study will be the fourth time that the candidate malaria vaccine Merozoite Surface Protein - long synthetic chain, will be tested in malaria endemic populations.in the past,once tested in adults and twice in children proved to be safe in all three occasions for this phase IIb study in children to proceed. This study will include children who will be randomly allocated to either receive the malaria vaccine adjuvanted with Aluminium Hydroxide or the Verorab control. Each participant will receive 3 immunizations, without the clinical investigators or the participants themselves knowing what has been given. They will then be followed-up for immediate reactions to vaccination, extended safety profile and immunological response associated with protection from malaria. These children will be followed up for over a longer term of two years. Blood will be taken to evaluate the biological safety parameters and also the immune responses.

This study will evaluate the safety of candidate malaria vaccine MSP3 in children aged 12-24 months in Tanzania in a highland area with low malaria transmission.
Written informed consent will be sought from all guardians/parents of potentially participating children. Eligible children will be randomly allocated to receive either the the study vaccine (MSP3 for a total of 30 children)) or the control vaccine (hepatitis B for a total of 15 children). The vaccines will be given in 3 immunizations one month apart to all the study children and neither the clinical investigators nor the children's parents will be aware of which vaccine has been administered during the initial four months of the study. The study is designed to begin with a lower dose of the MSP3 vaccine (15µg of MSP3 for 15 children) and then followed by the higher dose(30µg MSP3 for 15 children). Following each immunization, children will be evaluated for a seven day solicited symptoms. Unsolicited symptoms will also be collected throughout the study duration.
The study will be overseen by an international safety monitoring committee who will follow safety matters closely as the trial progresses. The study will also be approved by the Tanzania National ethics Committee, The Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority, and the London school of hygiene and tropical medicine ethics committee. The study is planned to last 13 months for each participant.