Austrian vaccines firm in deal with malaria charity

Austrian vaccines specialist Intercell  AG and the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative announced they are to collaborate in the development of a new vaccine against the disease.

Malaria vaccine candidates selected by PATH will be formulated with Intercell’s adjuvant IC31, which aims to increase the immunogenicity of vaccines. The product will be based on recombinant malaria antigens discovered by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The work, to be performed at Intercell and funded by PATH, will demonstrate whether or not IC31, in combination with NIH's antigens, triggers an immune response in animals. First results of the studies are expected by the end of 2008.

“The development of a malaria vaccine is a great challenge and needs the combination of the best vaccine components available today," explains Intercell´s Chief Scientific Officer Alexander von Gabain.[Link to our high growth entrepreneur profile of him] “The diversity, complexity, and different life stages of the malaria parasite require an optimal choice of antigens and adjuvants in order to deliver a protective vaccine.”