FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, February 11, 2000
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Contact:
Greg Roa
(301) 402-1663
greg.roa@nih.gov |
NIAID and the Malaria Vaccine Initiative/PATH Sign Agreement to Accelerate Malaria Vaccine Research
- the launch of an Internet-based resource center for malaria research
reagents;
- preclinical and clinical testing of promising vaccine candidates; and
- the publication of a detailed genetic map of the malaria parasite.
NIAID is also pursuing studies on the human immune response to malaria,
establishing clinical research and trial preparation sites in endemic
regions, and promoting collaborative efforts for vaccine discovery,
production and evaluation.
One such partnership is spelled out in the new Memorandum of Understanding.
Together, MVI and NIAID will develop joint work plans for targeted
activities to be funded by MVI. At its discretion, MVI will direct funding
for NIAID-administered programs to the Foundation for the National
Institutes of Health (NIH). The Congressionally created Foundation, which
also signed the agreement, fosters collaborative relationships in education,
research and related activities among NIH, industry, academia and nonprofit
organizations. Another party to the agreement is the NIH Office of
Technology Transfer, which will oversee patents and inventions that might
arise from research conducted in government laboratories.
MVI is a special program managed by PATH, whose mission is to improve
health, especially the health of women and children.
NIAID is a component of the NIH. NIAID conducts and supports research to
prevent, diagnose and treat illness such as HIV disease and other sexually
transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, malaria, asthma and allergies. NIH is
an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Press releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available
on the NIAID Web site at www.niaid.nih.gov.