Knowledge Malaria vaccine shows promising results according to TPH
A new malaria vaccine has achieved promising results, according to the Swiss Tropical Institute. The SUM-101 vaccine did not cause any serious side effects in tests in Tanzania and protected the study participants well against malaria.
29.10.2025, 12:14
SDA
Study leader Claudia Daubenberger from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) described the results as "very encouraging" in a press release on Wednesday. According to the researcher, the vaccine has the potential to become an important component of the future generation of malaria vaccines.
Two malaria vaccines are currently available, namely RTS,S and R21. According to the Tropical Institute, these represent significant progress in the fight against the disease. However, they offer only limited protection and do not achieve the necessary efficacy of over 90 percent that would be required to eliminate malaria. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of next-generation vaccines, the Tropical Institute emphasized.
The new vaccine was developed by the biotechnology company "Sumaya Biotech" in Heidelberg DE. It was first tested on German study participants. Tests have now been carried out for the first time in Bagamoyo, Tanzania, on people who have already come into contact with malaria. The approximately 40 study participants received three doses of the vaccine or a control vaccine against rabies.
Most of the side effects that occurred after the vaccination were mild to moderate, as the researchers reported in the journal "eClinicalMedicine". Frequently recorded symptoms were pain at the injection site, headaches and fatigue. There were no serious side effects. In addition, the vaccine triggered strong and long-lasting antibody reactions.
Those adults who had already developed natural immunity to the malaria parasite also showed a faster and stronger increase in IgG antibody levels, suggesting that the vaccine boosts existing immunity rather than triggering completely new reactions.
According to the Tropical Institute, this phenomenon could be a decisive factor in the development of optimal vaccines for populations that have already come into contact with malaria - provided it is confirmed in follow-up studies.
