Despite global efforts, malaria remains one of the leading causes of death among children under five in sub-Saharan Africa. Current vaccines target only one stage of the Plasmodium falciparum life cycle, which limits their overall effectiveness.
This project, based on the results of GHIT-funded projects (G2013-105, G2014-109, G2016-106, G2019-208), focuses on the development of SE36/cVLP, a next-generation blood-stage malaria vaccine candidate based on the N-terminal domain of the P. falciparum SERA5 antigen.
The SE36 antigen has previously been tested in phase I clinical trials in combination with two different adjuvants. In addition, the SE36/cVLP construct was produced in lab-scale batches and showed high immunogenicity in preclinical rat models.
The use of the Corynex® expression system allows for efficient and cost-effective production of SE36, supporting large-scale deployment in endemic regions.

SE36/cVLP can be used independently or in combination with multi-stage vaccines to elicit a broader and more robust immune response. This approach represents a promising step toward a more effective, accessible, and affordable malaria vaccine.
The main objectives are to:
- Manufacture a large GMP batch of SE36  
- Produce a GMP batch of SE36/cVLP  
- Conduct a GLP-compliant nonclinical toxicology study for SE36/cVLP + Sepivac SWE adjuvant 
- Prepare clinical trial documentation for the conduct of a phase I/IIa (CHMI) trial for SE36/cVLP (+/- Sepivac SWE) to assess safety, immunogenicity, and time-to-first episode of clinical malaria in malaria-naïve vaccinated subjects.