Health · Public Health & Disease · 1 day ago
Brazil approves first human tests of vaccine against a major malaria parasite
Brazil’s health regulator has approved the first human trial of Vivaxin, a vaccine developed by researchers at the Federal University of Minas Gerais.
The vaccine is designed to protect against Plasmodium vivax, a malaria parasite responsible for most cases in Brazil.
In 2025, Brazil recorded 118,037 malaria cases.
The two malaria vaccines currently available target Plasmodium falciparum, a different parasite that is common in Africa, and do not protect against P. vivax.
The first trial will assess the vaccine’s safety and whether it prompts an immune response.
It will involve 48 adults aged 18 to 59 who have not previously had the infection, followed for 360 days.
Brazil’s Health Ministry plans to invest 12 million reais in all three stages of clinical trials, but the vaccine will need further testing before it could be used.
Brazil’s health regulator has authorized the first human tests of Vivaxin, a vaccine developed against malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax.
The vaccine was developed by CTVacinas at the Federal University of Minas Gerais.
The first-phase trial will assess safety and immune response in 48 volunteers aged 18 to 59 who have not previously had the infection.
Participants will be followed for 360 days.
Brazil’s Health Ministry plans to invest R$12 million in the vaccine’s three clinical-trial phases.
- Who
- CTVacinas at the Federal University of Minas Gerais developed Vivaxin. Anvisa authorized the human tests.
- What
- Anvisa approved the start of human testing for a vaccine against Plasmodium vivax malaria.
- When
- The authorization was reported on October 10, 2026.
- Where
- Brazil. The vaccine was developed at the Federal University of Minas Gerais.
- Why
- The vaccine aims to prevent malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax, which is responsible for most malaria cases in Brazil.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The start of the clinical study of this vaccine, developed entirely at a Brazilian public university, represents progress in the search for new tools to combat the disease
Progress in research on the technology represents a milestone and opens the possibility of a new form of prevention against the disease, which recorded 118,037 cases in the country in 2025
Anvisa authorized the start of human testing for Vivaxin.
Health Minister Alexandre Padilha presented the project during a visit to CTVacinas.
- Vaccine
- Vivaxin
- Target parasite
- Plasmodium vivax
- Developer
- CTVacinas, Federal University of Minas Gerais
- First-phase volunteers
- 48 people aged 18 to 59 without prior infection
- Follow-up period
- 360 days
- Planned clinical-trial funding
- R$12 million
Sources
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