Some diseases affect millions of people yet remain largely invisible to the rest of the world. Schistosomiasis is one of them.

A neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic worms, schistosomiasis continues to place a heavy burden on communities across Africa, where more than 90% of cases occur (Ayabina et al., 2021). People become infected through contact with freshwater contaminated by the parasite—a risk that is often intertwined with daily life. Farming, fishing, washing clothes, collecting water, and even sports or recreation can all bring people into contact with infected water.

A disease that affects millions

For generations, communities have lived with the consequences. Children are particularly vulnerable, often becoming infected at a young age. The disease can cause anemia, chronic pain, impaired growth and cognitive development, and long-term organ damage. Beyond its immediate health impacts, schistosomiasis can affect a student’s ability to go to school, an adult’s capacity to work, and people’s ability to pursue economic opportunities, reinforcing cycles of poverty.

The scale of the challenge of controlling schistosomiasis is immense. As Prof. Afzal Siddiqui, a vaccine scientist from Texas Tech University leading the development of the SchistoShield® vaccine candidate, explains: “Schistosomiasis is endemic in 78 countries, 200 million people are currently infected, and 800 million more are at risk of getting the infection. So, if we are able to develop a vaccine against this disease, we are talking about an impact for about a billion people.”

A path forward

Despite its impact, schistosomiasis remains a neglected disease. That is why the Vaccines Against Schistosomiasis in Africa (VASA) project is working to change the story.

Supported by the European Union and the Gates Foundation, VASA brings together ten research institutions from around the world including the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) to advance the development of SchistoShield®, one of the world’s promising vaccine candidates. The project is helping move the vaccine through clinical development while generating the evidence needed to support its future use in endemic settings.

The goal is to develop a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine that can help protect communities most affected by the disease and help drive progress toward the World Health Organization’s goal of eliminating schistosomiasis as a public health problem by 2030.

More than a vaccine

While existing control programs have reduced the disease burden in many settings, reinfection remains common in communities where daily life depends on contact with freshwater. A vaccine would provide an additional layer of protection, helping people stay healthier for longer.

As Prof. Raphaël Rakotozandrindrainy of the Madagascar Institute for Vaccine Research at the University of Antananarivo points out: “Schistosomiasis is one of the causes of poverty for the population in Africa.”

The work of VASA doesn’t start and stop with a vaccine. It is advancing vaccine development with capacity-strengthening at its center. Clinical trials have been conducted in Madagascar and Burkina Faso, where researchers, clinicians, and health workers are leading critical aspects of the work. In December 2025, the project completed phase Ib clinical trials evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of SchistoShield® in healthy adults. Early results have been encouraging and are helping inform the next phase of development, with the SchistoShield® product currently moving towards the next part of its clinical development—a phase II trial.

VASA has delivered other benefits alongside the planned project activities. With a long-term goal of strengthening local research ecosystems even beyond the project, it has contributed to strengthening clinical trial infrastructure, improving laboratory systems, and training staff members. In Madagascar, for example, the VASA supported staff training and qualification across multiple aspects of clinical research, from participant enrollment and safety monitoring to laboratory operations and Good Clinical Practice. Importantly, VASA has also supported the technology transfer of the SchistoShield® vaccine candidate to Quratis Inc. which will ultimately work toward subsequent technology transfers to developing country vaccine manufacturers (DCVMs) for local manufacturing, close to the affected communities.

Working together for impact

“Partnership is very important in the research of schistosomiasis because the problem is complex,” says Prof. Soura Abdramane of the University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. “It requires cooperation across disciplines, across sectors, and even across countries.”

This thread of collaboration is woven throughout VASA. Researchers are working together to better understand the disease burden, evaluate vaccine performance, strengthen clinical trial capacity, assess the economic impact of the disease, and generate evidence that can inform future policy and strategies for vaccine introduction. This is a global effort to deliver local impact.

Dr. Florian Marks, a Deputy Director General of the IVI and Principal Research Associate at the University of Cambridge (UCAM) who is coordinating the VASA project, shares: “Developing a vaccine against schistosomiasis is a long and complex journey. But every milestone brings us closer to a world where this disease no longer limits lives and opportunities. IVI/UCAM are proud to stand alongside our partners in this global effort, supporting the science, partnerships, and capacity that can help turn that vision into reality.”

A future without schistosomiasis

At its heart, VASA is about people. It is about children who can reach their full potential and play. It is about families whose livelihoods are not disrupted by preventable illness. It is about communities that have lived with schistosomiasis for generations gaining access to better tools to protect their health.

The VASA consortium is united in the belief that: “Schistosomiasis has held our communities back for generations. But now with the VASA project, we are changing the story. From the lab to the clinic, from data to hope, VASA is more than research. It is a pathway to protection for everyone, everywhere.”

By: Aerie Em
Published: 29 June 2026

Reference

Ayabina, D. V., Clark, J., Kivumbi, A., Egesa, M., LaCourse, E. J., Jukes, M. C. H., Nampijja, M., Webb, E. L., Cose, S., & Elliott, A. M. (2021). Prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma infections in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 15(3), e0009083. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009083