The R21/Matrix-M vaccine could help reduce the 500,000 malaria-associated deaths that occur each year.

The vaccine was developed by researchers from the University of Oxford, the Serum Institute of India and drugmaker Novavax. It is expected to become available by 2024, at a cost of between $2 and $4 per dose. 

R21 is the second malaria vaccine to receive WHO approval. The first one – known as RTS,S – was developed by GSK and has been sold under the brand Mosquirix since 2022. However, the difficulty in producing doses of RTS,S has made pharmaceutical firms unable to meet the high demand for the vaccine – presenting R21 as an equally effective but cheaper alternative.

“As a malaria researcher, I used to dream of the day we would have a safe and effective vaccine against malaria. Now we have two,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO.

“Almost exactly two years ago, WHO recommended the broad use of the world’s first malaria vaccine...