Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF have signed a new contract to purchase large quantities of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII) at a reduced cost.
Gavi said the updated price of $2.99 per dose, lowered from $4, could save as much as $90 million. These savings may help deliver 30 million additional doses over the next five years enough to vaccinate nearly 7 million more children.
The procurement will be financed through Gavi’s International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) and aligns with the organisation’s broader goal of supporting vaccines against diseases such as cervical cancer, Ebola, malaria, meningitis, pneumonia and rotavirus.
The R21 vaccine, co-developed by the University of Oxford and SII and enhanced with Novavax’s Matrix-M adjuvant, has been pre-qualified by the WHO. Clinical trials show that it can cut malaria cases by more than 50% in the first year after vaccination, and by around 75% when administered seasonally in regions with highly seasonal transmission.
In 2024, malaria caused an estimated 5.97 lakh deaths globally, with children under five suffering the highest mortality. The African Region continues to face a severe malaria burden, with many areas still lacking basic prevention and treatment services.
“Today’s announcement is a strong example of how our Vaccine Alliance uses innovative financing and partnerships to shape vaccine markets. Demand for this new vaccine has been extraordinary, and it will provide stronger protection for children against one of the deadliest diseases affecting those under five in Africa,” said An Vermeersch, Gavi’s Chief Vaccine Programmes & Markets Officer.