A unique malaria vaccine extracted from the saliva of infected mosquitoes this week received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration to be tested in people.
Unlike other malaria vaccines under development, the one from saliva is a weakened version of the entire parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which causes malaria.
Sanaria, the company developing the vaccine in Rockville, Maryland, weakens the parasite by feeding human, infected blood to mosquitoes, then exposing the mosquitoes to enough irradiation to cripple the parasite.
Unlike other malaria vaccines under development, the one from saliva is a weakened version of the entire parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which causes malaria.
Sanaria, the company developing the vaccine in Rockville, Maryland, weakens the parasite by feeding human, infected blood to mosquitoes, then exposing the mosquitoes to enough irradiation to cripple the parasite.
