Please read the latest Newsletter.We really appreciate what you have done and continue to do to take Professor Michael Good’s promising vaccine PlasProtecT® forward.
This is where we are at:
- As a result of all of your mighty efforts, Rotarians across Australia have been able to raise nearly $550,000 for the vaccine trials at the Gold Coast and in Brisbane
- Federal Minister Greg Hunt has matched that incredible Rotary drive with a further $500,000.This means that a total $1.05 million has gone forward for the Phase 1 clinical trials to test the efficacy of PlasProtecT® in Australia. These trials must be completed successfully before Phase 2 trials can begin in regions like sub-Saharan Africa.
- The Phase 1 clinical trials commenced at the Gold Coast in August 2018. Although the sample was small, Professor Good said, “The trials went very well and generated some exciting results.” Further trials will continue at the Gold Coast from June 2019.
- The trials resulted in an exciting breakthrough. Plans have now been set in train to house the whole parasite vaccine in an artificial membrane rather than a human red cell as occurred in the Gold Coast trials. This will allow the vaccine to be freeze dried and then hydrated at distant locations.
- Professor Good plans to use the artificial membrane in the Brisbane trials later this year with a larger group of volunteers. If these trials are successful the artificial membrane technology will enable a seamless progression from the Phase 1 trials to the Phase 2 trials in places like Uganda and PNG. However, the artificial membrane technology comes at significant cost as it only manufactured in USA.
- As a consequence of the cost of this new technology and the inability to locate the requisite numbers of volunteers at the Gold Coast, earlier estimates of cost have been way too low. We now believe that to even complete the trials in Australia a further AUS $1 million will be needed.
- It will require a huge effort but we are driven by the most recent malaria report (November 2018) of the World Health Organization (WHO) which states: “Over the last three years there has been no significant progress in controlling this terrible disease and an effective vaccine is urgently needed”.
- WHO has even pushed ahead with the trials of the vaccine RTS, S in Malawi. RTS, S is only 40% effective and has inadequate longevity-especially in places like Africa. There are touches of desperation here but remember 1 child dies every two minutes from malaria in Africa.
- This highlights the need to move Professor Good’s vaccine beyond Australia and to do it at the utmost speed. Please continue to support us and help us make connections with Corporates, Foundations and Individual Donors.
PDG Graham Jones, Chair-Malaria Vaccine Project Committee