Dar es Salaam. A new experimental malaria vaccine known as SUM-101 has produced encouraging findings in its first trial among Tanzanian adults previously exposed to malaria.
The study, led by researchers Aina-ekisha Kahatano and Maxmillian Mpina of the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), shows the vaccine is safe, well-tolerated, and capable of triggering a strong immune response, marking a significant advance in global malaria research.
According to the researchers, SUM-101 could play an important role in improving next-generation malaria vaccines, complementing existing ones such as RTS and R21, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved but which offer only partial protection.
Despite major gains in prevention and control, malaria continues to take a heavy toll, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where it remains a leading cause of illness and death, with Tanzania recording millions of cases annually.
A more effective vaccine that targets multiple stages of the malaria parasite could sharply increase protection levels.
Lead co-authors Kahatano and Mpina said the new findings point to strong potential for improving malaria vaccine performance, especially in high-transmission settings.
“This study adds evidence that combining vaccines targeting both the blood stage and early stages of the parasite can deliver broader and longer-lasting protection,” said Kahatano.
The clinical trial was conducted in Bagamoyo and involved 40 healthy adults aged 18 to 45 living in moderate-transmission areas.
Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: one received the SUM-101 vaccine, while the control group received a standard rabies vaccine.
Presenting the results, Kahatano said no serious adverse effects were recorded, noting that most reactions were mild and temporary, including slight pain at the injection site, headaches, or brief fatigue.
“There was a strong immune response. SUM-101 generated high levels of antibodies, IgG, and IgM, that peaked around day 84 and remained elevated for months,” he explained.
He said the antibodies produced were capable of recognising and neutralising a range of malaria parasite strains, noting that the vaccine also appeared to enhance natural immunity.
“People who already had some level of natural immunity to malaria showed a stronger response after vaccination,” he said.
Researchers overseeing the trial, Dr Ally Olotu of IHI and Dr Claudia Daubenberger of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, said SUM-101 not only proved safe but also boosted the body’s natural defences against malaria.
The study was undertaken jointly by experts from the Ifakara Health Institute, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, the University of Basel, Sumaya Biotech GmbH & Co. KG of Germany, and the University Hospital of Heidelberg.
Partial funding was provided by Sumaya Biotech GmbH & Co. KG through support from the EU Malaria Fund in Berlin.
Co-author Mpina said the team believes the findings set the stage for larger trials to test the vaccine’s efficacy among wider populations, including children, who remain the most vulnerable group.
“We are hopeful that this vaccine could become part of a new generation of malaria vaccines that are safer, more potent, and capable of saving millions of lives,” he said.
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