Process development for the production of an E. coli produced clinical grade recombinant malaria vaccine for Plasmodium vivax

The global eradication of malaria will require the development of vaccines to prevent infection cause by Plasmodium vivax in addition to Plasmodium falciparum. In an attempt to contribute to this effort we have previously reported the cloning and expression of a vaccine based on the circumsporozoite protein of P. vivax. The synthetic vaccine encodes for a full-length molecule encompassing the N-terminal and C-terminal regions flanking a chimeric repeat region representing VK210 and VK247, the two major alleles of P. vivax CSP. The vaccine, designated vivax malaria protein 001 (VMP001), was purified to >95% homogeneity using a three-column purification scheme and had low endotoxin levels and passed the rabbit pyrogenicity assay. The protein is recognized by monoclonal antibodies directed against the two repeat motifs, as well as polyclonal antibodies. Immunization with VMP001 induced high titer antibodies in mice using Montanide ISA 720. We currently have more than 10,000 doses of purified bulk and 1800 vials of formulated bulk vaccine available for clinical testing and VMP001 is currently undergoing further development as a candidate vaccine to prevent malaria in humans.