RTS,S malaria vaccine
RTS,S/AS01 (trade name Mosquirix) is a recombinant protein-based malaria vaccine.
It is one of two malaria vaccines approved (the other is R21/Matrix-M).
The RTS,S vaccine was the first to target a parasite.
It was developed by the Walter Reed Army Research Institute after 30 years of intense research and approved by the World Health Organization in 2021.
It is being aimed at children under the age of 5, who make up about 80% of all malaria deaths in Africa
The world’s first routine vaccine programme using the RTS,S started in Cameroon in January 2024.
The country is offering the vaccine free of charge to all infants up to the age of six months.
This has been described as a transformative chapter in Africa’s public health history.
R21/Matrix M
The R21/Matrix is a second-generation RTS,S vaccine.
It was developed by Oxford University’s Jenner Institute and approved by the WHO in October 2023
The R21 vaccine is a significant improvement on the RTS,S vaccine, with 75% efficacy over a year
The production process is much less complicated, which means it can be manufactured in vast amounts.
The R21/Matrix M vaccine is very cost-effective, projected to retail at $2-$4 a dose, comparable in price to other childhood vaccines used in Africa.
Demand for malaria vaccines is unprecedented; however, available supply of RTS,S is limited.
The addition of R21 to the list of WHO-recommended malaria vaccines is expected to result in sufficient vaccine supply to benefit all children living in areas where malaria is a public health risk.
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