It is hoped a new malaria vaccine that tackles the infection at a different stage to those currently on offer will “significantly reduce” the number of deaths and severe cases of the disease.
The vaccine – known as RH5.1/Matrix-M – has been shown to be “safe and well tolerated” in clinical trials.
The new injection targets malaria in the “blood stage”, which comes after the plasmodium falciparum parasite that causes the deadliest form of the disease passes through the liver.
Once red blood cells become infected, symptoms such as fever and chills begin and can lead to complications including anaemia and organ failure.
Existing licensed vaccines target the liver stage of malaria – which is symptomless – and are “very effective” at stopping parasites from getting into the blood, researchers said.
But if some “slip through the net”, existing injections are not effective, experts said.
“Our goal, by targeting the blood stage of the disease with this vaccine, is to significantly reduce the number of severe cases and deaths,” Angela Minassian, associate professor in the department of biochemistry, who leads the clinical blood-stage malaria vaccine programme at the University of Oxford, said.
“The current licensed vaccines, R21/Matrix-M and RTS,S/AS01, target the liver stage of the parasite and are very effective at stopping parasites from getting into the blood.
“However, if they fail and parasites slip through the net, the disease will develop as these approved vaccines have no activity against malaria in the blood.
“Adding RH5.1/Matrix-M to these licensed vaccines should provide a vital second line of defence, achieving even higher levels of protection.
“Importantly, our study has provided the first real-world data to show that this type of vaccine works by reducing the level of parasites in the blood.”
Children participate in trials
The phase 2b trial involved 361 children, split into two groups.
One group received three doses of the RH5.1/Matrix-M vaccine and the other three doses of a rabies vaccine.
Those who had the RH5.1/Matrix-M developed high levels of antibodies against the malaria parasite, the study found.
This was more pronounced among children who had their vaccine as a newborn and at one and five months of age compared with those who had theirs as newborns and at one and two months.
Simon Draper, professor of vaccinology and translational medicine in the departments of paediatrics and biochemistry at the Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, invented the RH5.1/ Matrix-M vaccine.
“The development of an effective blood-stage malaria vaccine has proved to be an exceptionally tough scientific challenge, with previous clinical trials over a number of decades reporting no or minimal efficacy,” he said.
“These first efficacy results for a new generation of blood-stage vaccine candidates targeting the RH5 malaria protein are hugely encouraging, and represent a major milestone for the malaria field.
“We now have the exciting opportunity to test the new RH5.1 blood-stage vaccine in combination with the approved liver-stage vaccines, with the goal of developing a second-generation product that can offer very high-level efficacy against malaria disease in young African children.”
“Frequent malaria infections can impair a child’s growth and development,” Halidou Tinto, a professor of parasitology and regional director of the Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Sante, in Burkina Faso, said.
“This trial has shown that RH5.1/Matrix-M is safe and well tolerated. No serious side effects were reported, and further stages of the trial and follow-on trials will continue to monitor the vaccine’s longer-term safety and efficacy.”
UK announces £5m programme
On Wednesday, the UK government announced a £5 million ($6.4m) programme with the RBM Partnership to End Malaria set to renew the push to end the epidemic by 2030.
The UK’s new partnership will support RBM as it brings global leaders together in the fight against malaria. This includes tackling resistance to malaria treatments and supporting efforts to control malaria in four countries: Cameroon, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda.
Tackling malaria will also help unlock growth in the Global South. Analysis shows reducing malaria cases by 90 per cent by 2030 could boost GDP by over $142 billion in malaria-endemic countries.
Malaria vaccine – in pictures
“Thanks to the expertise of British scientists and the efforts of partners across the world, we have shown that the malaria epidemic can be ended,” British Minister for Development Anneliese Dodds said.
“But in the Global South, too many are still losing their lives and livelihoods to the disease, with pregnant women and children especially vulnerable.
“The UK is pleased to be partnering with the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, contributing £5 million to re-energise global efforts to tackle the epidemic.
“With the right tools, treatments and leadership, we can get back on track to end malaria, save lives and unlock billions in economic growth.”
The UK’s partnership with RBM solidifies the UK as a crucial partner in global efforts to end malaria. The UK is also a leading supporter of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and supports research into new tools to prevent and treat malaria.
British scientists helped develop two malaria vaccines which have the potential to save millions of lives, including the RH5.1/Matrix-M injection.
With UK support, Gavi and the Vaccine Alliance are helping roll out the new vaccines in up to 25 countries by 2025, including in Nigeria last week.
This week, Minister Dodds is in Malawi, one of three countries where the RTS,S vaccine was shown to reduce child mortality by 13 per cent.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Tell Me Who I Am
Director: Ed Perkins
Stars: Alex and Marcus Lewis
Four stars
