Crucell NV and GlaxoSmithKline PLC, pioneer drug manufacturers, announced on Tuesday that they will work in co-ordination with each other to make a new malaria vaccine which is composed of two different drugs that are developed separately by these companies.
The companies had already conducted a research together for a Crucell vaccine in preclinical studies, and now they intend to start testing their combined vaccine on human beings. According to the results of the preclinical research, the drug appears to be more effective when used in combination rather than the drugs used separately.
As per the reports issued by Crucell, malaria has turned to be one of the deadliest diseases in the world as almost 900,000 people die of it every year.
The new developed vaccine will be a combination of RTS vaccine developed by GlaxoSmithKline and S/AS vaccine developed by Crucell. The final stage clinical tests of RTS,S/AS are conducted by GlaxoSmithKline. The financial terms and conditions of the association have still not been disclosed by both the companies.
The new experimental vaccine works on the Crucell's AdVac technology. The technology works by putting a section of genetic material from a virus or parasite into bigger particle which same as that of the virus that causes the common cold. Crucell explained that this technology helps to enhance the immunity to the disease, and is efficient against critical infectious diseases than primitive ways of vaccine formulations.
Crucell of Netherlands and London-based GlaxoSmithKline have been working in partnership since the year 2003 via an association with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
