656,600 R21/Matrix-M™ Malaria Vaccines Deployed

Today marks the official rollout of the newly approved R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine, co-developed by the University of Oxford and Serum Institute of India (SII), which has committed to producing 100 million vaccines.

This malaria vaccine utilizes Novavax’s Matrix-M™ adjuvant technology.

The first official vaccination is scheduled for July 15, 2024, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and it will be subsequently introduced in 38 districts across the country.

According to a press release, 15 African countries will introduce malaria vaccines with Gavi support in 2024. These countries plan to reach around 6.6 million children with the malaria vaccine in 2024 and 2025.

John Jacobs, President and Chief Executive Officer of Novavax Inc., commented, "The introduction of the R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine in Côte d'Ivoire marks a breakthrough in the fight to protect vulnerable children against a leading cause of death across the region while reinforcing our mission to create innovative vaccines that improve public health."

"Novavax is proud of the contribution of our Matrix-M™ adjuvant in this vaccine and in making this moment possible, and value our continued collaboration with the University of Oxford and SII, as well as the lifesaving work of WHO, Gavi, and UNICEF.”

R21/Matrix-M is a low-dose, highly effective, and affordable vaccine that can be manufactured quickly and scale. Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic have approved the new vaccine, and many others are preparing to receive shipments.

Malaria vaccines are currently unavailable in the United States.

Novavax, based in Gaithersburg, MD., U.S., promotes improved health by discovering, developing, and commercializing innovative vaccines to help protect against serious infectious diseases.