New malaria drug works in infants

LONDON, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Scientists say a new malaria vaccine being tested in Mozambique was successful in protecting infants less than 1 year old.

The study, published in The Lancet, was intended to show the safety of the vaccine. GlaxoSmithKline researchers also found that the full course of three shots reduced the risk of catching malaria by 65 percent, The New York Times said.

The efficacy data is consistent with the estimate of 45 percent reduction in new infections reported in a 2004 trial in Mozambique among children one to four years old, GlaxoSmithKline said Thursday in a release.

"We’re now a step closer to the realization of a vaccine that can protect African infants," said Dr. Pedro Alonso, the University of Barcelona professor who leads clinical trials of the vaccine.