London:The worlds first vaccine against malaria could be less than two years away after a successful trial by a British drug makers GlaxoSmithKline.

UK drug maker GlaxoSmithKline will seek approval for the worlds first malaria vaccine after trials showed that it had reduced cases in African children.

Vaccine that nearly halved cases among children aged between five and seven months could save millions in worst-hit countries

A vaccine against malaria could be introduced in the worlds worst-hit countries in 2015, after the latest trial of a treatment produced by Britains biggest drug company reduced the number of cases .

The results of the trial by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) demonstrated the most clinically advanced malaria vaccine candidate – RTS,S – continued to protect young children and infants from clinical malaria up to 18 months after vaccination.

It added that the United Nations health agency, the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO), has indicated it may recommend use of the RTS,S vaccine from as early as 2015 if EMA drugs regulators back its licence application.

Malaria, a mosquito-borne parasitic disease, kills hundreds of thousands of people a year, mainly babies in the poorest parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and scientists say an effective vaccine is key to attempts to eradicate it.