Group A Streptococcus (GAS) usually begins with a sore throat, but if left untreated it can cause immune-mediated syndromes including acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). It is estimated that severe GAS diseases cause at least 517,000 deaths annually, with a prevalence of 18.1 million cases and 1.78 million new cases each year. It poses severe risks to children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals, and carries a high potential for developing antimicrobial resistance. Despite the urgent need to mitigate this pathogen, vaccine development faces significant challenges, including underfunding and the requirement for strict vaccine safety assessments for clinical trials.
The International Vaccine Institute is advancing group A Streptococcus vaccine development through a broad range of activities, including pre-clinical research to identify the optimal conjugate vaccine, community- and hospital-based surveillance studies in LMICs to assess disease burden on site, and engagement with key stakeholders
Vaccine development
In 2024, IVI launched a proof-of-concept study for a universal group A Streptococcus conjugate vaccine. Running through 2027, the project aims to select a conjugation platform based on immunogenicity studies in animals and identify the optimal vaccine candidate through efficacy testing.
Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium (SAVAC)
In response to the resolution of the 71st World Health Assembly in 2018 which recognizes acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) as major global health concerns, IVI and global partners formed the Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium (SAVAC). This program has developed a vaccine R&D roadmap, a FVVA, and a large number of publications, including standardized surveillance protocols, case definitions, papers on vaccine safety and health economics.
In 2023, IVI and its partners launched SAVAC 2.0 to build on these efforts, with a focus on:
- Preparing for vaccine clinical trials by establishing a sentinel site network.
- Collaborating with non-industry stakeholders such as WHO and country-level policymakers to facilitate vaccine introduction.
- Engaging industry stakeholders, including developers and manufacturers.
Surveillance in Africa
In addition to SAVAC 2.0, IVI is expanding its surveillance efforts in Africa with a one-year study in Burkina Faso. The study aims to provide a more accurate estimate of the disease burden and better understand care-seeking behaviors, which are crucial for designing targeted initiatives to improve detection, diagnosis, and access to appropriate treatment.
Page updated: March 2025
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