Chemical firm to begin testing malaria vaccine

Press, 15 January 1986, Page 22

Chemical firm to begin testing malaria vaccine

NZPA-Reuter Basle The Swiss chemicals giant, Hoffman La Roche, says it will begin clinical trials soon in what it called a first important step in the development of the world’s first malaria vaccine. About 600 million people are threatened by malaria in Africa, Latin America and Asia and although several preventive medicines and treatments exist, there is no vaccine. Announcing the trials, La Roche, which has . been working on the. vaccine since 1983, said it and its U.S. subsidiaiy, F. Hoffman La Roche, inc, had also agreed to work with a New York University team which has isolated and described types of malaria parasites. The company already collaborates with researchers at ■ Edinburgh and Geneva universities. Malaria, which brings fever and delirium and is frequently fatal if untreated, is caused by a microscopic single-celled parasite introduced into man by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. Present drugs can relieve its symptoms but not cure or prevent it.