WHO Recommends R21/Matrix-M Malaria Vaccine Developed by Oxford and Serum Institute

• 04 Oct 2023

On 2^nd Oct, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, jointly developed by the University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India, with the utilization of Novavax's adjuvant technology.

Key Points:

• WHO Approval for Malaria Vaccine: The R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine has received WHO's recommendation for use, based on its adherence to essential safety, quality, and effectiveness standards.
• This recommendation follows a thorough evaluation by WHO's independent advisory groups, including the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG).
• Rapidly Scaling Production: The Serum Institute has already established production capacity for 100 million doses annually, with plans to double this capacity over the next two years.
• This robust production scale is crucial for effectively vaccinating individuals at high risk of malaria, contributing to disease containment and safeguarding the vaccinated population.
• Matrix-M Adjuvant from Novavax: Matrix-M is a proprietary saponin-based adjuvant developed by Novavax, exclusively licensed to the Serum Institute for use in malaria-endemic countries.
• Novavax retains commercial rights for non-endemic countries.
• Approved for Use in Multiple Countries: As of now, the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine has been granted licenses for use in Ghana, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso.
• Second WHO-Recommended Malaria Vaccine: This vaccine's WHO recommendation is notable as it becomes the world's second WHO-recommended vaccine for malaria prevention in children.
• It achieved this status based on promising pre-clinical and clinical trial data showcasing its safety and high efficacy across regions with both seasonal and perennial malaria transmission.