The use of mRNA-based technology platform as a strategy on development of a multi-antigen/multi-stage vaccine formulation against Plasmodium vivax

• Grant number: 21/04455-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2022
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Daniel Youssef Bargieri
• Grantee: Rodolfo Ferreira Marques
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/15895-2 - The use of mRNA-based technology platform as a strategy for the development of a multi-antigen/multi-stage vaccine formulation against Plasmodium vivax, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Plasmodium vivax is the most common parasite species that causes human Malaria outside Africa. This species is also the most endemic in Asia, Central and South America and Oceania. Although Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for the majority of deaths, P. vivax can lead to severe Malaria, resulting in a significant morbidity and mortality. The development of a protective vaccine will certainly be an important step towards Malaria elimination. There is a strong need to explore new antigens that can promote a wide protection of immunized individuals against Malaria. Whereas the high complexity of the parasite cycle, strategies which have an approach based on multi-antigen/multi-stage, are formulations with greatest chances of success. Thus, we believe that the use of the Circumsporozoite Protein (CSP), found in the parasite during the pre-erythrocytic stage, in conjunction with E140 protein located in both pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic forms, may be able to prevent infection and/or clinical manifestations of vivax Malaria. The use of this technology platform based on mRNA has already proved to be highly effective in different scenarios, once it is a flexible, scalable and fast. Absorbing this technology, we can explore the whole development, not only of the antigens proposed here, but as well as several others new potential antigens, maximizing the chances of success in the search for a broadly protective formulation against Malaria caused by P. vivax. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MARQUES, RODOLFO F.; DE MELO, FILIPE MENEGATTI; NOVAIS, JANAINA TENORIO; SOARES, IRENE S.; BARGIERI, DANIEL YOUSSEF; GIMENEZ, ALBA MARINA. Immune System Modulation by the Adjuvants Poly (I:C) and Montanide ISA 720. FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY, v. 13, p. 14-pg., 2022-06-29. (12/13032-5, 18/25993-6, 14/18102-7, 21/04455-9)