VLPM01 is a pre-erythrocytic vaccine designed to deliver the circumsporozoite (CSP) antigen on the company’s inserted alphavirus virus-like particle (i-αVLP) vaccine platform.

To be conducted at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) in Maryland, the Phase I/IIa trial will evaluate the safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of the vaccine.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The trial will start enrolling volunteers this month.

It will use mosquito-bite induced controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) with Plasmodium falciparum parasite, which causes the disease in humans.

Participants, after receiving the vaccines, will be exposed to disease-causing parasites through mosquito bites under controlled laboratory settings.

In case the trial participants get infected, antimalarial drugs are used for their treatment.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

CHMI is performed in malaria-naive adults to study the protective efficacy of vaccines. The approach is said to act as a precursor for field studies in malaria-endemic regions.

VLP Therapeutics CEO Wataru Akahata said: “This clinical trial represents an important milestone for VLP Therapeutics as we initiate our first clinical trial and is a great accomplishment for the team at VLP Therapeutics.

“This represents the culmination of several years of work by our team and our partners and we are grateful for the support we have received from our partners, including the US Department of Defense.”

Statistics show that malaria is responsible for nearly 200 million illness cases and more than 400,000 deaths each year.

Clinical Trials Arena Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Clinical Trials Arena Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
YPrime won the Innovation award for AI in Clinical Trials and the Environmental award for Sustainable Trials, thanks to its eCOA, IRT and eConsent platforms. Explore how purpose-built AI, paperless workflows and circular hardware practices are reshaping timelines, data quality and ESG performance in clinical research.

Discover the Impact