New Delhi: The World Health Organization (WHO) has given its endorsement to a cost-effective and highly efficient malaria vaccine developed through collaboration between the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) and the University of Oxford in the UK.
This innovative vaccine, known as R21/Matrix-M, has earned the distinction of becoming the world’s second WHO-recommended vaccine for the prevention of malaria in children. The first-ever WHO-approved malaria vaccine, the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, was granted this status in 2021.
The recommendation for the use of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine came from the WHO’s independent advisory body, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE), and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG). These expert panels thoroughly assessed the vaccine’s safety, quality, and effectiveness standards last month.
Their recommendation is grounded in compelling pre-clinical and clinical trial data, which demonstrated excellent safety and a high level of efficacy across four countries, including regions with both seasonal and perennial malaria transmission.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “As a malaria researcher, I used to dream of the day we would have a safe and effective vaccine against malaria. Now we have two.”
This milestone marks a significant step forward in the global battle against malaria, offering new hope for the prevention of this mosquito-borne disease.
