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Experimental PfSPZ Vaccine in Adults Without Malaria

The study was performed to evaluate whole-blood transcriptomic profiles via RNA-seq before, during, and after immunization with the PfSPZ Vaccine in malaria-naïve, healthy adults enrolled in VRC 312 (NCT01441167). VRC 312 was the second study of the PfSPZ Vaccine and the first study to evaluate intravenous (IV) administration of this vaccine. The study was an open-label evaluation of the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy of the vaccine at successively higher administered by the IV route. The highest dosages were evaluated for protection against a malaria challenge after 4 to 6 vaccinations. The primary objectives of the study were related to the safety and tolerability of the vaccine at the 4 different dosage levels when administered IV; the secondary objectives were related to PfSPZ vaccine-mediated protection against Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) challenge at the 3 higher dosage levels, and the exploratory objectives were related to the immunogenicity of the PfSPZ Vaccine and defining an immune correlate of protection. To further determine potential molecular correlates of immunogenicity and/or protection, RNA-seq was performed on whole blood collected from subjects in all dose groups at time points before, during, and after immunization.