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WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE) – About 4,900 global health professionals representing academia, government and the private sector were briefed on the latest investments from the EU Malaria Fund at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene annual meeting.
The EU Malaria Fund is a public-private partnership that provides a new funding instrument to address market failures in infectious diseases with significant public health relevance globally. The EU Malaria Fund was initiated by the kENUP Foundation and is managed by a general partner under the supervision of Investitionsbank Berlin.
On 13 November 2020, Sanaria received € 12.9 million for the development of two malaria vaccines, a malaria prophylactic, as well as an initial proof of concept for a SARS-CoV-2 oral vaccine.
Sanaria’s PfSPZ vaccine is a radiation attenuated whole-body vaccine, which means it is a weakened form of the parasite that causes malaria. The PfSPZ vaccine stimulates an immunological response in the body against the malaria pathogen, without the individual becoming ill. This results in robust and durable protection. On the verge of Phase III clinical trials, PfSPZ vaccine is positioned to be the world’s first malaria vaccine to receive marketing authorization. Sanaria’s second-generation vaccine, Sanaria PfSPZ-CVac (Chemoprophylaxis Vaccine), focuses on increasing potency and reducing costs. The funding also promotes the research and development of human monoclonal antibodies from multiple candidates based on potency and manufacturability to provide immediate short-term protection against malaria. Finally, a portion of the funding will be used to promote OraCOV, a self-administered oral vaccine candidate against COVID-19, based on Sanaria’s work on malaria.
Dr. Stephen L. Hoffman, founder and CEO of Sanaria, said: “We congratulate the European Malaria Fund for addressing this fundamental funding gap and are grateful and honored to be the recipient of this investment.”
“We wholeheartedly welcome the efforts of Sanaria, which has been at the forefront of innovation for many years and is bringing new concepts to the table potentially reducing the unacceptable burden of malaria,” said Dr Pedro Alonso, Director of Malaria. Global Health Organization Program at the Online Signature Event.
Holm Keller, EUMF co-CEO and president of the kENUP Foundation said: “Sanaria has developed one of the most advanced malaria vaccines in the world. We hope that this investment will contribute to the eradication of malaria “.
More information can be found on https://www.controlmalaria.eu
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