RTS,S or Mosquirix is en experimental vaccine for malaria developed by GlaxoSmithKline.[1]
In October 2011, preliminary findings from a Phase III trial of RTS,S reported that it may protect approximately 50% of inoculated infants and children (decline in final mortality rate unverified). The RTS,S vaccine was engineered using genes from the outer protein of Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite and a portion of a hepatitis B virus and a chemical adjuvant to boost the immune system response.[2] The RTS,S-based vaccine formulation had previously been demonstrated to be safe, well tolerated, immunogenic, and to potentially confer partial efficacy in both malaria-naive and -experienced adults as well as children, although further research was considered necessary to improve the effectiveness of the vaccine.[3] It is being developed by PATH and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation[4]