1991•American Journal of Tropical Medicine and HygieneRequires access
Phase I Clinical Trial of a Recombinant Malaria Vaccine Consisting of the Circumsporozoite Repeat Region of Plasmodium Falciparum Coupled to Hepatitis B Surface Antigen
Stephen Vreden, J. P. Verhave, Thomas Oettinger, R. W. Sauerwein, J. H. E. T. Meuwissen
Open publisher page 58 citations
Abstract
R16HBsAg is an experimental recombinant malaria vaccine consisting of 16 repeats of a four amino acid sequence (Asn-Ala-Asn-Pro or NANP) of the circumsporozoite (CS) protein of Plasmodium falciparum expressed as a fusion protein with the recombinant hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) produced by yeast cells. Twenty male volunteers were experimentally vaccinated with the product, as well as with two doses of the commercial recombinant HBsAg vaccine Engerix B (Smith Kline Beecham Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium) at intervals during a period of 18 months. No serious side effects were observed. Circulating antibodies to recombinant CS antigen (R32tet32) developed in all volunteers and persisted in most cases over ten months. Anti-HBs antibody production was poor initially, but a single dose of the commercial hepatitis B vaccine was sufficient to elevate these titers to high levels in all but two volunteers.