Malaria bivalent viral vectored vaccine protects against Plasmodium falciparum and vivax and blocks parasite transmission

Abstract Malaria remains a major infectious disease, with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax often co-endemic, requiring a dual-target vaccine for adequate control. We previously developed monovalent vaccines against P. falciparum or P. vivax using vaccinia virus LC16m8Δ (m8Δ) and adeno-asso...

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Main Authors: Yutaro Yamamoto, Takuto Katayama, Camila Fabbri, Sora Niwa, Daiki Okuhara, Mitsuhiro Iyori, Ammar A. Hasyim, Hiroaki Mizukami, Hisatoshi Shida, Stefanie Lopes, Shigeto Yoshida
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:npj Vaccines
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01229-3
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author Yutaro Yamamoto
Takuto Katayama
Camila Fabbri
Sora Niwa
Daiki Okuhara
Mitsuhiro Iyori
Ammar A. Hasyim
Hiroaki Mizukami
Hisatoshi Shida
Stefanie Lopes
Shigeto Yoshida
author_facet Yutaro Yamamoto
Takuto Katayama
Camila Fabbri
Sora Niwa
Daiki Okuhara
Mitsuhiro Iyori
Ammar A. Hasyim
Hiroaki Mizukami
Hisatoshi Shida
Stefanie Lopes
Shigeto Yoshida
author_sort Yutaro Yamamoto
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Malaria remains a major infectious disease, with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax often co-endemic, requiring a dual-target vaccine for adequate control. We previously developed monovalent vaccines against P. falciparum or P. vivax using vaccinia virus LC16m8Δ (m8Δ) and adeno-associated virus type 1 (AAV1). Here, we demonstrate the efficacy of a novel bivalent malaria vaccine against P. falciparum and P. vivax. The m8Δ vaccine harbors two gene cassettes encoding Pfs25-PfCSP and Pvs25-PvCSP fusion proteins, while the AAV1 vaccine includes two recombinant AAV1s carrying one of these cassettes as a mixture. Heterologous m8Δ-prime and AAV1-boost immunization provided 70% protection against both PfCSP/Pb and PvCSP/Pb transgenic sporozoites. Moreover, a membrane feeding assay using P. vivax isolates from infected patients in the Brazilian Amazon showed 90% transmission-blocking efficacy. The bivalent vaccine outperformed monovalent combinations, maintaining immune responses for over 7 months, and shows promise for malaria control and elimination.
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spelling doaj-art-8433ff13df5c49b1a3a8d57bea3513742025-08-20T03:45:44ZengNature Portfolionpj Vaccines2059-01052025-07-0110111210.1038/s41541-025-01229-3Malaria bivalent viral vectored vaccine protects against Plasmodium falciparum and vivax and blocks parasite transmissionYutaro Yamamoto0Takuto Katayama1Camila Fabbri2Sora Niwa3Daiki Okuhara4Mitsuhiro Iyori5Ammar A. Hasyim6Hiroaki Mizukami7Hisatoshi Shida8Stefanie Lopes9Shigeto Yoshida10Laboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa UniversityLaboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa UniversityInstituto Leônidas & Maria Deane-Fiocruz Amazônia, Laboratório de Diagnóstico e Controle e Doenças Infecciosas da AmazôniaLaboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa UniversityLaboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa UniversityResearch Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Musashino UniversityLaboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa UniversityDivision of Genetic Therapeutics, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical UniversityLaboratory of Primate Model, Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Science, Kyoto UniversityInstituto Leônidas & Maria Deane-Fiocruz Amazônia, Laboratório de Diagnóstico e Controle e Doenças Infecciosas da AmazôniaLaboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa UniversityAbstract Malaria remains a major infectious disease, with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax often co-endemic, requiring a dual-target vaccine for adequate control. We previously developed monovalent vaccines against P. falciparum or P. vivax using vaccinia virus LC16m8Δ (m8Δ) and adeno-associated virus type 1 (AAV1). Here, we demonstrate the efficacy of a novel bivalent malaria vaccine against P. falciparum and P. vivax. The m8Δ vaccine harbors two gene cassettes encoding Pfs25-PfCSP and Pvs25-PvCSP fusion proteins, while the AAV1 vaccine includes two recombinant AAV1s carrying one of these cassettes as a mixture. Heterologous m8Δ-prime and AAV1-boost immunization provided 70% protection against both PfCSP/Pb and PvCSP/Pb transgenic sporozoites. Moreover, a membrane feeding assay using P. vivax isolates from infected patients in the Brazilian Amazon showed 90% transmission-blocking efficacy. The bivalent vaccine outperformed monovalent combinations, maintaining immune responses for over 7 months, and shows promise for malaria control and elimination.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01229-3
spellingShingle Yutaro Yamamoto
Takuto Katayama
Camila Fabbri
Sora Niwa
Daiki Okuhara
Mitsuhiro Iyori
Ammar A. Hasyim
Hiroaki Mizukami
Hisatoshi Shida
Stefanie Lopes
Shigeto Yoshida
Malaria bivalent viral vectored vaccine protects against Plasmodium falciparum and vivax and blocks parasite transmission
npj Vaccines
title Malaria bivalent viral vectored vaccine protects against Plasmodium falciparum and vivax and blocks parasite transmission
title_full Malaria bivalent viral vectored vaccine protects against Plasmodium falciparum and vivax and blocks parasite transmission
title_fullStr Malaria bivalent viral vectored vaccine protects against Plasmodium falciparum and vivax and blocks parasite transmission
title_full_unstemmed Malaria bivalent viral vectored vaccine protects against Plasmodium falciparum and vivax and blocks parasite transmission
title_short Malaria bivalent viral vectored vaccine protects against Plasmodium falciparum and vivax and blocks parasite transmission
title_sort malaria bivalent viral vectored vaccine protects against plasmodium falciparum and vivax and blocks parasite transmission
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01229-3
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