OUCRU Indonesia is preparing a Phase 2 clinical trial of a malaria vaccination designed to protect against the two most widespread malaria parasites, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. The trial, to be conducted in Keerom, Papua, will be the first to test a dual-species malaria vaccination in humans.
The trial will test two vaccines developed by the Jenner Institute: R21 for P. falciparum and Rv21 for P. vivax. These will be administered together as part of a multi-dose vaccination regimen. The long-term goal is to deliver protection against both species in a single vaccination, which would be a first in malaria vaccine development.
“This is an important step toward a practical solution for countries like Indonesia,” said Professor Kevin Baird, Director of OUCRU Indonesia. “A vaccination that protects against both falciparum and vivax malaria would be game-changing for the Asia-Pacific, where more than 80 percent of the global P. vivax burden is concentrated.”
Dr Mehreen Datoo, a lead researcher from the Jenner Institute, visited Jakarta and Keerom last month to meet partners and review preparations for the upcoming trial. She has played a key role in the development of R21, one of only two malaria vaccines recommended by the WHO. That recommendation is based on trials conducted in Africa and targets only P. falciparum. There is still no licensed vaccine for P. vivax.
“The R21 vaccine is already recommended by the WHO for use in children in Africa and it is important to think about extending this recommendation and where else it can be of benefit,” said Datoo. “This study will help us understand how the vaccine performs in adults in other regions, as well as explore protection against other malaria species such as P. vivax. ”
Keerom was selected as the study site due to its extraordinarily high malaria incidence. “The disease is hyperendemic in the region, causing severe illness and deaths every year,” said Baird. “This makes it an ideal setting to study how a dual-species vaccination performs in real-world conditions.”
This phase 2 trial is planned to begin after the Rv21 Phase 1 trial in the UK concludes, expected around mid-2026.
This will be OUCRU Indonesia’s second malaria vaccine trial, following its work last year on Indonesia’s first-ever malaria vaccine study, which tested Sanaria® PfSPZ and Sanaria® PfSPZ-CVac.
As one of Indonesia’s leading research organizations on infectious diseases, OUCRU Indonesia currently leads three of the six active clinical trials in the country.