Publications

@article{Datoo2024,

title = {Safety and efficacy of malaria vaccine candidate R21/Matrix-M in African children: a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, phase 3 trial},

author = {Mehreen S. Datoo and Alassane Dicko and Halidou Tinto and Jean Bosco Ou\'{e}draogo and Mainga Hamaluba and Ally Olotu and Emma Beaumont and Fernando Ramos Lopez and Hamtandi Magloire Natama and Sophie Weston and Mwajuma Chemba and Yves Daniel Compaore and Djibrilla Issiaka and Diallo Salou and Athanase M. Some and Sharon Omenda and Alison Lawrie and Philip Bejon and Harish Rao and Daniel Chandramohan and Rachel Roberts and Sandesh Bharati and Lisa Stockdale and Sunil Gairola and Brian M. Greenwood and Katie J. Ewer and John Bradley and Prasad S. Kulkarni and Umesh Shaligram and Adrian V. S. Hill and Almahamoudou Mahamar and Koualy Sanogo and Youssoufa Sidibe and Kalifa Diarra and Mamoudou Samassekou and Oumar Attaher and Amadou Tapily and Makonon Diallo and Oumar Mohamed Dicko and Mahamadou Kaya and Seydina Oumar Maguiraga and Yaya Sankare and Hama Yalcouye and Soumaila Diarra and Sidi Mohamed Niambele and Ismaila Thera and Issaka Sagara and Mala Sylla and Amagana Dolo and Nsajigwa Misidai and Sylvester Simando and Hania Msami and Omary Juma and Nicolaus Gutapaka and Rose Paul and Sarah Mswata and Ibrahim Sasamalo and Kasmir Johaness and Mwantumu Sultan and Annastazia Alexander and Isaac Kimaro and Kauye Lwanga and Mwajuma Mtungwe and Kassim Khamis and Lighton Rugarabam and Wilmina Kalinga and Mohammed Mohammed and Janeth Kamange and Jubilate Msangi and Batuli Mwaijande and Ivanny Mtaka and Matilda Mhapa and Tarsis Mlaganile and Thabit Mbaga and Rakiswende Serge Yerbanga and Wendkouni Samtouma and Abdoul Aziz Sienou and Zachari Kabre and Wendinpui Jedida Muriel Ouedraogo and G. Armel Bienvenu Yarbanga and Issaka Zongo and Hamade Savadogo and Joseph Sanon and Judicael Compaore and Idrissa Kere and Ferdinand Lionel Yoni and Tewende Martine Sanre and Seydou Bienvenu Ouattara and Samuel Provstgaard-Morys and Danielle Woods and Robert W. Snow and Nyaguara Amek and Caroline J. Ngetsa and Lynette Isabella Ochola-Oyier and Jennifer Musyoki and Marianne Munene and Noni Mumba and Uche Jane Adetifa and Charles Mwangi Muiruri and Jimmy Shangala Mwawaka and Mwatasa Hussein Mwaganyuma and Martha Njeri Ndichu and Joseph Ochieng Weya and Kelvin Njogu and Jane Grant and Jayne Webster and Anand Lakhkar and N. F\'{e}lix Andr\'{e} Ido and Ousmane Traore and Marc Christian Tahita and Massa Achille Bonko and Toussaint Rouamba and D. Florence Ouedraogo and Rachidatou Soma and Aida Millogo and Edouard Ouedraogo and Faizatou Sorgho and Fab\'{e} Konate and Innocent Valea},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38310910/},

doi = {10.1016/S0140-6736(23)02511-4},

issn = {1474-547X},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Lancet (London, England)},

volume = {403},

issue = {10426},

pages = {533-544},

publisher = {Lancet},

abstract = {Background: Recently, we found that a new malaria vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, had over 75% efficacy against clinical malaria with seasonal administration in a phase 2b trial in Burkina Faso. Here, we report on safety and efficacy of the vaccine in a phase 3 trial enrolling over 4800 children across four countries followed for up to 18 months at seasonal sites and 12 months at standard sites. Methods: We did a double-blind, randomised, phase 3 trial of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine across five sites in four African countries with differing malaria transmission intensities and seasonality. Children (aged 5\textendash36 months) were enrolled and randomly assigned (2:1) to receive 5 μg R21 plus 50 μg Matrix-M or a control vaccine (licensed rabies vaccine [Abhayrab]). Participants, their families, investigators, laboratory teams, and the local study team were masked to treatment. Vaccines were administered as three doses, 4 weeks apart, with a booster administered 12 months after the third dose. Half of the children were recruited at two sites with seasonal malaria transmission and the remainder at standard sites with perennial malaria transmission using age-based immunisation. The primary objective was protective efficacy of R21/Matrix-M from 14 days after third vaccination to 12 months after completion of the primary series at seasonal and standard sites separately as co-primary endpoints. Vaccine efficacy against multiple malaria episodes and severe malaria, as well as safety and immunogenicity, were also assessed. This trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04704830, and is ongoing. Findings: From April 26, 2021, to Jan 12, 2022, 5477 children consented to be screened, of whom 1705 were randomly assigned to control vaccine and 3434 to R21/Matrix-M; 4878 participants received the first dose of vaccine. 3103 participants in the R21/Matrix-M group and 1541 participants in the control group were included in the modified per-protocol analysis (2412 [51·9%] male and 2232 [48·1%] female). R21/Matrix-M vaccine was well tolerated, with injection site pain (301 [18·6%] of 1615 participants) and fever (754 [46·7%] of 1615 participants) as the most frequent adverse events. Number of adverse events of special interest and serious adverse events did not significantly differ between the vaccine groups. There were no treatment-related deaths. 12-month vaccine efficacy was 75% (95% CI 71\textendash79; p\<0·0001) at the seasonal sites and 68% (61\textendash74; p\<0·0001) at the standard sites for time to first clinical malaria episode. Similarly, vaccine efficacy against multiple clinical malaria episodes was 75% (71\textendash78; p\<0·0001) at the seasonal sites and 67% (59\textendash73; p\<0·0001) at standard sites. A modest reduction in vaccine efficacy was observed over the first 12 months of follow-up, of similar size at seasonal and standard sites. A rate reduction of 868 (95% CI 762\textendash974) cases per 1000 children-years at seasonal sites and 296 (231\textendash362) at standard sites occurred over 12 months. Vaccine-induced antibodies against the conserved central Asn-Ala-Asn-Pro (NANP) repeat sequence of circumsporozoite protein correlated with vaccine efficacy. Higher NANP-specific antibody titres were observed in the 5\textendash17 month age group compared with 18\textendash36 month age group, and the younger age group had the highest 12-month vaccine efficacy on time to first clinical malaria episode at seasonal (79% [95% CI 73\textendash84]; p\<0·001) and standard (75% [65\textendash83]; p\<0·001) sites. Interpretation: R21/Matrix-M was well tolerated and offered high efficacy against clinical malaria in African children. This low-cost, high-efficacy vaccine is already licensed by several African countries, and recently received a WHO policy recommendation and prequalification, offering large-scale supply to help reduce the great burden of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Funding: The Serum Institute of India, the Wellcome Trust, the UK National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, and Open Philanthropy.},

keywords = {{Alassane Dicko, Antibodies, Burkina Faso, Child, Clinical Trial, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Immunization, Infant, Malaria Vaccines* / adverse effects, Malaria* / drug therapy, Male, MEDLINE, Mehreen S Datoo, Multicenter Study, Nanoparticles*, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, NCBI, NIH, NLM, Non-U.S. Gov't, Phase III, Preschool, PubMed Abstract, Randomized controlled trial, Research Support, Saponins*},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Agnandji2023,

title = {Prostration and the prognosis of death in African children with severe malaria},

author = {Selidji T. Agnandji and Mario Recker and Benjamin Mordm\"{u}ller and Stephan Gl\"{o}ckner and Akim A. Adegnika and Bertrand Lell and Lucas Otieno and Walter Otieno and Seth Owusu-Agyei and Kwaku P. Asante and Tsiri Agbenyega and Daniel Ansong and Eusebio Macete and Pedro Aide and Hermann Sorgho and Halidou Tinto and Neema Mturi and John P. A. Lusingu and Samwel Gesase and Irving Hoffman and Nahya Salim Masoud and Charles R. Newton and Kalifa Bojang and G\'{e}rard Krause and Peter Gottfried Kremsner},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37414210/},

doi = {10.1016/J.IJID.2023.06.022},

issn = {1878-3511},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases},

volume = {134},

pages = {240-247},

publisher = {Int J Infect Dis},

abstract = {Objectives: Malaria is still one of the main reasons for hospitalization in children living in sub-Saharan Africa. Rapid risk stratification at admission is essential for optimal medical care and improved prognosis. Whereas coma, deep breathing, and, to a lesser degree, severe anemia are established predictors of malaria-related death, the value of assessing prostration for risk stratification is less certain. Methods: Here we used a retrospective multi-center analysis comprising over 33,000 hospitalized children from four large studies, including two observational studies from the Severe Malaria in African Children network, a randomized controlled treatment study, and the phase-3-clinical RTS,S-malaria vaccine trial, to evaluate known risk factors of mortality and with a specific emphasis on the role of prostration. Results: Despite comparable age profiles of the participants, we found significant inter- and intra-study variation in the incidence of fatal malaria as well as in the derived risk ratios associated with the four risk factors: coma, deep breathing, anemia, and prostration. Despite pronounced variations, prostration was significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality (P \<0.001) and its consideration resulted in improved predictive performance, both in a multivariate model and a univariate model based on the Lambar\'{e}n\'{e} Organ Dysfunction Score. Conclusion: Prostration is an important clinical criterion to determine severe pediatric malaria with possible fatal outcomes.},

keywords = {Anemia*, Child, Clinical Trial, Coma, doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2023.06.022, Falciparum* / drug therapy, Humans, Infant, Malaria, Malaria* / complications, Malaria* / diagnosis, Mario Recker, MEDLINE, Multicenter Study, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, NCBI, NIH, NLM, Peter Gottfried Kremsner, Phase III, pmid:37414210, Prognosis, PubMed Abstract, Randomized controlled trial, Selidji T Agnandji},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ogutu2023,

title = {Ganaplacide (KAF156) plus lumefantrine solid dispersion formulation combination for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria: an open-label, multicentre, parallel-group, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial},

author = {Bernhards Ogutu and Adoke Yeka and Sylvia Kusemererwa and Ricardo Thompson and Halidou Tinto and Andre Offianan Toure and Chirapong Uthaisin and Amar Verma and Afizi Kibuuka and Moussa Lingani and Carlos Louren\c{c}o and Ghyslain Mombo-Ngoma and Videlis Nduba and Tiacoh Landry N'Guessan and Gu\'{e}tawend\'{e} Job Wilfried Nassa and Mary Nyantaro and Lucas Otieno Tina and Piyoosh K. Singh and Myriam El Gaaloul and Anne Claire Marrast and Havana Chikoto and Katalin Csermak and Ivan Demin and Dheeraj Mehta and Rashidkhan Pathan and Celine Risterucci and Guoqin Su and Cornelis Winnips and Grace Kaguthi and Bakary Fofana and Martin Peter Grobusch},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37327809/},

doi = {10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00209-8},

issn = {1474-4457},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {The Lancet. Infectious diseases},

volume = {23},

issue = {9},

pages = {1051-1061},

publisher = {Lancet Infect Dis},

abstract = {Background: Emergence of drug resistance demands novel antimalarial drugs with new mechanisms of action. We aimed to identify effective and well tolerated doses of ganaplacide plus lumefantrine solid dispersion formulation (SDF) in patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Methods: This open-label, multicentre, parallel-group, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial was conducted at 13 research clinics and general hospitals in ten African and Asian countries. Patients had microscopically-confirmed uncomplicated P falciparum malaria (\>1000 and \<150 000 parasites per μL). Part A identified the optimal dose regimens in adults and adolescents (aged ≥12 years) and in part B, the selected doses were assessed in children (≥2 years and \<12 years). In part A, patients were randomly assigned to one of seven groups (once a day ganaplacide 400 mg plus lumefantrine-SDF 960 mg for 1, 2, or 3 days; ganaplacide 800 mg plus lumefantrine-SDF 960 mg as a single dose; once a day ganaplacide 200 mg plus lumefantrine-SDF 480 mg for 3 days; once a day ganaplacide 400 mg plus lumefantrine-SDF 480 mg for 3 days; or twice a day artemether plus lumefantrine for 3 days [control]), with stratification by country (2:2:2:2:2:2:1) using randomisation blocks of 13. In part B, patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups (once a day ganaplacide 400 mg plus lumefantrine-SDF 960 mg for 1, 2, or 3 days, or twice a day artemether plus lumefantrine for 3 days) with stratification by country and age (2 to \<6 years and 6 to \<12 years; 2:2:2:1) using randomisation blocks of seven. The primary efficacy endpoint was PCR-corrected adequate clinical and parasitological response at day 29, analysed in the per protocol set. The null hypothesis was that the response was 80% or lower, rejected when the lower limit of two-sided 95% CI was higher than 80%. This study is registered with EudraCT (2020\textendash003284\textendash25) and ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03167242). Findings: Between Aug 2, 2017, and May 17, 2021, 1220 patients were screened and of those, 12 were included in the run-in cohort, 337 in part A, and 175 in part B. In part A, 337 adult or adolescent patients were randomly assigned, 326 completed the study, and 305 were included in the per protocol set. The lower limit of the 95% CI for PCR-corrected adequate clinical and parasitological response on day 29 was more than 80% for all treatment regimens in part A (46 of 50 patients [92%, 95% CI 81\textendash98] with 1 day, 47 of 48 [98%, 89\textendash100] with 2 days, and 42 of 43 [98%, 88\textendash100] with 3 days of ganaplacide 400 mg plus lumefantrine-SDF 960 mg; 45 of 48 [94%, 83\textendash99] with ganaplacide 800 mg plus lumefantrine-SDF 960 mg for 1 day; 47 of 47 [100%, 93\textendash100] with ganaplacide 200 mg plus lumefantrine-SDF 480 mg for 3 days; 44 of 44 [100%, 92\textendash100] with ganaplacide 400 mg plus lumefantrine-SDF 480 mg for 3 days; and 25 of 25 [100%, 86\textendash100] with artemether plus lumefantrine). In part B, 351 children were screened, 175 randomly assigned (ganaplacide 400 mg plus lumefantrine-SDF 960 mg once a day for 1, 2, or 3 days), and 171 completed the study. Only the 3-day regimen met the prespecified primary endpoint in paediatric patients (38 of 40 patients [95%, 95% CI 83\textendash99] vs 21 of 22 [96%, 77\textendash100] with artemether plus lumefantrine). The most common adverse events were headache (in seven [14%] of 51 to 15 [28%] of 54 in the ganaplacide plus lumefantrine-SDF groups and five [19%] of 27 in the artemether plus lumefantrine group) in part A, and malaria (in 12 [27%] of 45 to 23 [44%] of 52 in the ganaplacide plus lumefantrine-SDF groups and 12 [50%] of 24 in the artemether plus lumefantrine group) in part B. No patients died during the study. Interpretation: Ganaplacide plus lumefantrine-SDF was effective and well tolerated in patients, especially adults and adolescents, with uncomplicated P falciparum malaria. Ganaplacide 400 mg plus lumefantrine-SDF 960 mg once daily for 3 days was identified as the optimal treatment regimen for adults, adolescents, and children. This combination is being evaluated further in a phase 2 trial (NCT04546633). Funding: Novartis and Medicines for Malaria Venture.},

keywords = {Adoke Yeka, Adolescent, Adult, Antimalarials*, Artemether / pharmacology, Artemether / therapeutic use, Artemisinins*, Bernhards Ogutu, Child, Clinical Trial, doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00209-8, Drug Combinations, Ethanolamines / pharmacology, Ethanolamines / therapeutic use, Falciparum* / drug therapy, Falciparum* / parasitology, Fluorenes / pharmacology, Fluorenes / therapeutic use, Humans, Lumefantrine / pharmacology, Lumefantrine / therapeutic use, Malaria, Malaria* / drug therapy, Martin Peter Grobusch, MEDLINE, Multicenter Study, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, NCBI, NIH, NLM, Non-U.S. Gov't, Phase II, Plasmodium falciparum, pmid:37327809, PubMed Abstract, Randomized controlled trial, Research Support, Treatment Outcome},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{RTS2015,

title = {Efficacy and safety of RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine with or without a booster dose in infants and children in Africa: final results of a phase 3, individually randomised, controlled trial},

author = {S Clinical Trials Partnership RTS},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25913272/},

doi = {10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60721-8},

issn = {1474-547X},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-01-01},

journal = {Lancet (London, England)},

volume = {386},

issue = {9988},

pages = {31-45},

publisher = {Lancet},

abstract = {Background The efficacy and safety of the RTS,S/AS01 candidate malaria vaccine during 18 months of follow-up have been published previously. Herein, we report the final results from the same trial, including the efficacy of a booster dose. Methods From March 27, 2009, until Jan 31, 2011, children (age 5-17 months) and young infants (age 6-12 weeks) were enrolled at 11 centres in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1) at first vaccination by block randomisation with minimisation by centre to receive three doses of RTS,S/AS01 at months 0, 1, and 2 and a booster dose at month 20 (R3R group); three doses of RTS,S/AS01 and a dose of comparator vaccine at month 20 (R3C group); or a comparator vaccine at months 0, 1, 2, and 20 (C3C [control group]). Participants were followed up until Jan 31, 2014. Cases of clinical and severe malaria were captured through passive case detection. Serious adverse events (SAEs) were recorded. Analyses were by modified intention to treat and per protocol. The coprimary endpoints were the occurrence of malaria over 12 months after dose 3 in each age category. In this final analysis, we present data for the efficacy of the booster on the occurrence of malaria. Vaccine efficacy (VE) against clinical malaria was analysed by negative binomial regression and against severe malaria by relative risk reduction. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00866619. Findings 8922 children and 6537 young infants were included in the modified intention-to-treat analyses. Children were followed up for a median of 48 months (IQR 39-50) and young infants for 38 months (34-41) after dose 1. From month 0 until study end, compared with 9585 episodes of clinical malaria that met the primary case definition in children in the C3C group, 6616 episodes occurred in the R3R group (VE 36·3%, 95% CI 31·8-40·5) and 7396 occurred in the R3C group (28·3%, 23·3-32·9); compared with 171 children who experienced at least one episode of severe malaria in the C3C group, 116 children experienced at least one episode of severe malaria in the R3R group (32·2%, 13·7 to 46·9) and 169 in the R3C group (1·1%, -23·0 to 20·5). In young infants, compared with 6170 episodes of clinical malaria that met the primary case definition in the C3C group, 4993 episodes occurred in the R3R group (VE 25·9%, 95% CI 19·9-31·5) and 5444 occurred in the R3C group (18·3%, 11·7-24·4); and compared with 116 infants who experienced at least one episode of severe malaria in the C3C group, 96 infants experienced at least one episode of severe malaria in the R3R group (17·3%, 95% CI -9·4 to 37·5) and 104 in the R3C group (10·3%, -17·9 to 31·8). In children, 1774 cases of clinical malaria were averted per 1000 children (95% CI 1387-2186) in the R3R group and 1363 per 1000 children (995-1797) in the R3C group. The numbers of cases averted per 1000 young infants were 983 (95% CI 592-1337) in the R3R group and 558 (158-926) in the R3C group. The frequency of SAEs overall was balanced between groups. However, meningitis was reported as a SAE in 22 children: 11 in the R3R group, ten in the R3C group, and one in the C3C group. The incidence of generalised convulsive seizures within 7 days of RTS,S/AS01 booster was 2·2 per 1000 doses in young infants and 2·5 per 1000 doses in children. Interpretation RTS,S/AS01 prevented a substantial number of cases of clinical malaria over a 3-4 year period in young infants and children when administered with or without a booster dose. Efficacy was enhanced by the administration of a booster dose in both age categories. Thus, the vaccine has the potential to make a substantial contribution to malaria control when used in combination with other effective control measures, especially in areas of high transmission. Funding GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA and the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative.},

keywords = {{Africa South of the Sahara / epidemiology, Age Factors, Clinical Trial, Double-Blind Method, Falciparum / epidemiology, Falciparum / prevention \& control*, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Hospitalization / statistics \& numerical data, Humans, Immunization, Immunization Schedule, Incidence, Infant, Malaria, Malaria Vaccines*, Male, MEDLINE, Multicenter Study, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, NCBI, NIH, NLM, Non-U.S. Gov't, Phase III, PMC5626001, PubMed Abstract, Randomized controlled trial, Research Support, S Clinical Trials Partnership'},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}