Merck Sharpe and Dohme to collaborate on malaria research

Merck Sharpe and Dohme has announced that it is to participate in a collaborative research effort to develop a potential new vaccine for malaria.

The pharmaceutical company will ally with the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) and NYU Langone Medical Center to create a new treatment that is able to prevent malaria parasites from entering the liver.

This treatment will work by targeting and blocking functions of the parasites' circumsporozoite proteins, a principle that has already demonstrated efficacy in other clinically-trialled drugs.

It will be used primarily among children younger than one year of age, though the partners are hopeful it can later be adapted to service a wider patient population.

Dr John Shiver, vice-president of vaccines discovery at Merck Sharpe and Dohme, said: "We recognise that new methods and partnerships, like this collaboration with MVI and NYU Langone Medical Center, are important to continue innovation in the battle against the malaria parasite."

Earlier this month, the company revealed that it has agreed a deal to purchase SmartCells, a diabetes treatment specialist.