Major step towards vaccine for malaria

An important step towards an effective malaria vaccine has been taken by scientists who protected volunteers from the bites of disease- carrying mosquitoes.

Major technological hurdles were overcome to produce the intravenous vaccine, made from whole cells of the malaria organism weakened by radiation.

Although the trial was small and designed to show a “proof of concept”, it could pave the way to the first vaccine capable of offering 100% protection against a scourge that claims 2,000 lives a day.