A vaccine targeting the L9 epitope of the malaria circumsporozoite protein confers protection from blood-stage infection in a mouse challenge model

Pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccines that induce high-titer, durable antibody responses can potentially provide protection from infection. Here, we engineered a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccine targeting a recently described vulnerable epitope at the N-terminus of the central repeat region of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) that is recognized by the potently inhibitory monoclonal antibody L9 and show that immunization with L9 VLPs induces strong antibody responses that provide protection from blood-stage malaria in a mouse infection model.