PUNE, India: The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine maker, is set to launch a groundbreaking new malaria vaccine in Africa starting in May. This development marks a significant milestone in the ongoing battle against one of the most deadly infectious diseases worldwide.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne illness, claims the lives of over 600,000 individuals annually, with a staggering 95 percent of these deaths occurring in Africa, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease particularly impacts young children, with nearly half a million African children under the age of five succumbing to malaria each year.
The new vaccine, named R21, is the result of a collaboration between the Serum Institute of India and researchers from Oxford University. This innovative vaccine is poised to make a substantial impact in terms of saving lives, according to SII’s CEO, Adar Poonawalla. The institute plans to initially supply 25 million doses of the R21 vaccine to the African continent at a cost of $4 or less in its first year, with the potential for further price reductions as production scales up.
Unlike the existing malaria vaccine approved by the WHO, the R21 vaccine is expected to be more cost-effective, offering a three-dose regimen along with a booster shot for children aged 5 to 36 months. The WHO anticipates that the rollout of the R21 vaccine will significantly increase the supply to meet the high demand from African nations.
The Serum Institute of India, known for its significant contribution to global vaccine production, gained further prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic by manufacturing millions of affordable vaccine doses for export. With the shift in focus from COVID-19 prevention, the institute has repurposed its facilities in Pune to combat other diseases, including malaria.
The production of the R21 vaccine is well underway at the institute’s manufacturing unit, with plans to distribute the vaccines to vulnerable populations in several countries before the onset of the main malaria season in approximately six to seven months. The goal is to eventually produce up to 100 million doses of the R21 vaccine annually.
The vaccines will be primarily procured and distributed through partnerships with the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and Gavi, a global vaccine alliance. The initial recipients of the R21 vaccine include Chad, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Mozambique, and South Sudan, with Uganda and Nigeria slated to introduce the vaccine later in the year.
The introduction of the R21 vaccine represents a significant step forward in the fight against malaria, offering hope for a brighter and healthier future for millions of individuals in Africa and beyond.