Blood stage vaccines for Plasmodium falciparum: current status and the way forward

Since the recent call for a shift from malaria control to eradication, the role of asexual blood stage vaccines for falciparum malaria, which are not expected to prevent infection, has become less clear. However, blood stage antigens remain likely to be a critical component of a highly effective malaria vaccine. The inclusion of a blood stage component in a multistage malaria vaccine would not only prevent disease caused by “leaky” pre-erythrocytic immunity, but would also protect against epidemics in newly vulnerable populations. Recent clinical results of blood stage vaccine candidates have shown strain specific and partial efficacy, although no protection against clinical outcomes has been demonstrated in experimental infection or field trials to date. The current status of Plasmodium falciparum blood stage vaccine development is summarized and the potential role of these vaccines in the changed malaria landscape is discussed. Alternative preclinical and clinical development paths will speed iterative development.