Highlights • Protein-based vaccines remain the cornerstone approach for B cell and antibody induction against leading target malaria antigens. • Advances in antigen selection, immunogen design and epitope-focusing are advancing the field. • New heterologous expression platforms are enabling cGMP production of next-generation protein vaccines. • Next-generation antigens, protein-based immunogens and virus-like particle (VLP) delivery platforms are in clinical development. • Protein-based vaccines will form part of a highly effective multi-component/multi-stage/multi-antigen subunit formulation against malaria. Plasmodium parasites are the causative agent of human malaria, and the development of a highly effective vaccine against infection, disease and transmission remains a key priority. It is widely established that multiple stages of the parasite’s complex lifecycle within the human host and mosquito vector are susceptible to vaccine-induced antibodies. The mainstay approach to antibody induction by subunit vaccination has been the delivery of protein antigen formulated in adjuvant. Extensive efforts have been made in this endeavor with respect to malaria vaccine development, especially with regard to target antigen discovery, protein expression platforms, adjuvant testing, and development of soluble and virus-like particle (VLP) delivery platforms. The breadth of approaches to protein-based vaccines is continuing to expand as innovative new concepts in next-generation subunit design are explored, with the prospects for the development of a highly effective multi-component/multi-stage/multi-antigen formulation seeming ever more likely. This review will focus on recent progress in protein vaccine design, development and/or clinical testing for a number of leading malaria antigens from the sporozoite-, merozoite- and sexual-stages of the parasite’s lifecycle–including PfCelTOS, PfMSP1, PfAMA1, PfRH5, PfSERA5, PfGLURP, PfMSP3, Pfs48/45 and Pfs25. Future prospects and challenges for the development, production, human delivery and assessment of protein-based malaria vaccines are discussed.
【저자키워드】 Vaccine, antibody, malaria, adjuvant, Plasmodium falciparum, Recombinant protein,