India to manufacture malaria vaccine

NEW DELHI (EFE) — An agreement between the British pharmaceutical company GSK and the Indian company Bharat Biotech will allow the mass production in India of the RTS,S malaria vaccine, the first authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO), at a cost of less than five dollars per dose.

The agreement, formalized yesterday, includes the complete transfer of the vaccine's production technology to Bharat Biotech, a process that will be completed in 2028.

This transfer was part of a commitment made to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which is collaborating with the implementation of the new tiered pricing.

"The reduced price of the vaccine is crucial to expanding access to countries with a high malaria burden," Gavi emphasized in a statement. The WHO estimates the disease causes 600,000 deaths annually, mainly in tropical areas.

Pilot studies conducted in high-incidence areas showed that the vaccine achieved "a 13% reduction in overall mortality among vaccinated children," according to WHO data. Furthermore, global health organizations noted that this transition will help "close the gap between supply and urgent demand."

India will thus become the main production center for malaria vaccines, manufacturing both Mosquirix (RTS,S) and R21/Matrix-M, developed by Oxford University and produced by the Serum Institute of that country.

Bharat Biotech has invested over $200 million in infrastructure and processes for this purpose.

"The investment will enable a long-term, sustainable supply," the two companies said in a joint statement. The Asian country is thus reinforcing its role as "the world's pharmacy," although its pharmaceutical industry is facing challenges due to recent questions about the quality of some of its products.

The technology transfer process and production expansion are expected to be completed in about three years. "This step is essential to ensure the continued availability of vaccines in the most affected regions," spokespersons for the agreement added.

Indian Vaccine

The first malaria vaccine will cost less than five dollars to produce.

It has a predecessor

Under the trade name Mosquirix, it is the first vaccine authorized in the world to prevent childhood malaria and competes in the market with a second drug, R21/Matrix-M.

Ready for 2028

Price is crucial to making the medicine accessible.