Another Country Offers Second-Gen Malaria Vaccine

In collaboration with UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and Gavi, South Sudan's Ministry of Health, today announced the official launch of a nationwide R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine distribution.

This initiative comes after the arrival of the first shipment of over 645,000 doses of the R21 malaria vaccine in Juba on May 31, 2024. These vaccines were initially delivered to South Suda's 28 counties with the highest malaria burden, with plans to expand the distribution to cover the entire nation.

Confirmed on July 16, 2024, this landmark event marks a significant stride in the country's efforts to safeguard the health and well-being of its children.

About 15 African countries are expected to introduce malaria vaccines in 2024 and 2025 to protect around 6.6 million children.

"The rollout of the malaria vaccine is a game-changer in our fight against this deadly disease. With the support of our partners, we are committed to protecting young children and reducing the malaria burden in the country," said Dr. Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Representative for South Sudan, in a press release. 

"WHO AFRO has deployed experts to support the rollout, ensuring the effective introduction and distribution of the malaria vaccine by leveraging extensive expertise from prior vaccine initiatives within the region."

Over the past month, the R21 vaccine has also been offered in Côte d'Ivoire and the Central African Republic.

The University of Oxford Jenner Institute began work on R21 in 2017. The R21/Matrix-M vaccine includes Novavax AB proprietary saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant and is licensed to and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India Private Ltd.

John Jacobs, President and Chief Executive Officer of Novavax, commented in a press release on July 15, 2024, "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 Serum Institute of India, as well as the lifesaving work of WHO, Gavi, and UNICEF."

While about 90% of malaria cases are reported in Africa, international travelers have brought this mosquito-transmitted disease to the United States.

For example, Florida's Health Department confirmed in July 2024 that twenty-eight cases of malaria with onset in 2024 have been reported in individuals with a travel history to a malaria-endemic area, primarily countries in Africa.

In 2023, seven locally acquired malaria cases were reported near Sarasota, Florida.

As of July 17, 2024, the U.S. FDA has not approved the WHO-recommended malaria vaccines.