Researchers from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, in partnership with Baylor College of Medicine, announced on Mar. 18 that a candidate vaccine for hookworm infection showed encouraging results in a phase 2 clinical trial.
The findings are significant because hookworm is one of the most common parasitic diseases worldwide and a major cause of iron-deficiency anemia, especially among children and pregnant women in low-resource settings. There is currently no licensed vaccine to prevent this disease.
The study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, found that healthy adult volunteers who received the investigational Na-GST-1/Al–CpG vaccine had much lower levels of infection after being exposed to the parasite compared to those who received a placebo. "An effective hookworm vaccine could become an essential tool to prevent anemia and improve health outcomes in vulnerable populations," said Dr. David Diemert, lead researcher and professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences. "These findings represent an important step toward that goal." Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, said: "Almost 40 percent of children under five years of age struggle with anemia, and an effective hookworm vaccine could give many of them the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life."
The trial involved 39 adults in Washington, D.C., who received three doses of one of three vaccine formulations or placebo before controlled exposure to hookworm larvae. The most effective formulation combined Na-GST-1 with an adjuvant called CpG to enhance immune response. Participants receiving this combination had median egg counts at zero compared to higher counts in the placebo group and also showed lower blood markers associated with parasitic infection.
Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, senior associate dean at Baylor College of Medicine and co-director at Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, said: "A combination vaccine could pack a particularly powerful punch because in areas with high rates of both malaria and hookworm, it’s not always clear which one is the primary cause of anemia." The study was published on March 17 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Baylor College of Medicine contributes to community service as one of its core missions according to its official website. It functions independently while engaging in clinical partnerships according to its official website. As an independent health sciences university, Baylor focuses on advancing research, education, patient care, and community service according to its official website. Paul Klotman holds the roles of president, chief executive officer, and executive dean at Baylor College of Medicine according to its official website. The college collaborates in environments that promote integrated health sciences according to its official website, providing education across its schools while advancing biomedical research and offering patient care through partnerships according to its official website.
This trial was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Further clinical evaluation will focus on advancing the Na‑GST‑1/Al–CpG formulation as either a standalone or combination vaccine.
