First malaria vaccine effective in more than 75% of cases approved: R-21/Matrix-M

By Cristiano Antonino On Apr 17, 2023

R-21/Matrix-M, the first malaria vaccine to exceed the World Health Organisation’s 75% efficacy threshold, has been approved

‘An epoch-making breakthrough,’ it explains, ‘considering that malaria, one of the oldest and most dangerous infectious diseases, kills half a million people globally every year (half are children under five years old, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa).

The characteristics of the new R-21/Matrix-M vaccine

The new R-21/Matrix-M vaccine – developed by a team of researchers at Oxford University’s Jenner Institute and approved by the Ghanaian regulatory authorities – is only the second malaria vaccine to be approved worldwide and the first to have exceeded the WHO’s 75% efficacy threshold (77% efficacy at 12 months follow-up).

The vaccine has been approved for use in children aged between 5 months and 36 months, the age group at highest risk of death from malaria.

In addition, ‘it can be produced on a large scale and at a modest cost,’ the accompanying note states, ‘allowing hundreds of millions of doses to be made available in those African countries most affected by malaria.

The vaccine contains Matrix-M, ‘the adjuvant produced by Novavax, a saponin-based substance that enhances the immune response, making it more durable.

Previous studies have shown the role of the Novavax adjuvant in increasing the vaccine’s efficacy: higher efficacy (77%) was found in trail participants who received a higher dose of adjuvant, compared to the group that received a lower dose of adjuvant,’ they conclude.