National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

New Capabilities

As of May 2026: Published MAD21-101 discovery; conducting monoclonal antibody trials

NIH researchers discovered a new class of antibodies that attack malaria parasites at a never-before-targeted site. The antibody MAD21-101 protected four out of five mice from infection, working differently than existing vaccines by binding to a cryptic protein fragment exposed only after the parasite undergoes pyroglutamylation, a specific chemical transformation. This opens a fresh avenue in the decades-long hunt for a highly effective malaria vaccine.

Updated May 19