CAPTIVATE will develop a new and improved vaccine targeting multiple developmental stages of P. falciparum, the most dangerous form of the malaria parasite. The consortium will optimise the efficacy of current pre-erythrocytic vaccines while evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of new blood-stage mRNA vaccine candidates, from pre-clinical testing to an early-stage clinical trial.
In parallel, the consortium will work on developing the next generation of highly efficacious malaria vaccine candidates using an advanced in-silico platform to analyse TCR- and single cell sequencing data in combination with artificial intelligence (AI) based predictions of novel malaria vaccine antigens.
The consortium will also establish a European facility for production of malaria sporozoites for research and clinical use.