Major Breakthrough for India: WHO clears Serum Institute’s Malaria vaccine
The R21 Matrix-M had been put through multiple tests, both in the laboratory and in real-time patients before being given the green card for its efficacy against malaria.
The R21 Matrix-M had been put through multiple tests, both in the laboratory and in real-time patients before being given the green card for its efficacy against Malaria.
The malaria vaccine developed by Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India has been given clearance by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The R 21 Matrix M becomes the world’s only second WHO-recognized malaria vaccine. This is being seen as a major breakthrough for the country and its healthcare industry.
Moreover, the R21 Matrix-M had been put through multiple tests, both in the laboratory and in real-time patients before being given the green card for its efficacy against malaria.
‘For any new vaccine to get the WHO clearance, it’s not a small achievement,” said R Ravishankar, who has been associated with Dr. Reddy’s. The sheer no of trials a new vaccine has to go through is simply mind-boggling,” he said.
Ravishankar has informed that sometimes it takes close to four or five years for a vaccine to get recognised. “The WHO has got its own set of procedures. These are very painstaking as they involve administering it to citizens of various countries. This is done to ensure that the vaccine is not merely successful in just one country or merely suited for one type of humans,” he added.
Malaria Vaccine Approval
Also, it must be mentioned here that the R21 Matrix –M got the vaccine tag following a rigorous, detailed scientific review by, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE), which is an independent advisory body of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG).
On its part, the Serum Institute said that the R 21 Matrix M got the approval from WHO after a very rigorous and lengthy process.
“The recommendation was based on pre-clinical and clinical trial data which showed good safety and high efficacy in four countries, at sites with both seasonal and perennial malaria transmission, making it the world’s second-ever WHO recommended vaccine for preventing malaria in children,” Serum Institute of India said in a statement.
The vaccine was developed by the Jenner Institute at Oxford University and Serum Institute of India with support from the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (‘EDCTP’), the Wellcome Trust, and the European Investment Bank (‘EIB’).
Malaria Vaccine for Africa
Currently, the R21 Matrix-M malaria vaccine has been licensed for use in three African countries—-Ghana, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso.
Adar Poonawalla, CEO and Owner, of the Serum Institute of India, posted on his X account, “I am pleased to announce that the WHO has recommended the R21/Matrix-M™️ Malaria vaccine. The combined efforts of @SerumInstIndia and @UniOfOxford have come to fruition. This will save thousands of lives in Africa afflicted by Malaria, and help bridge the vast gap between the demand and supply of vaccines to fight this terrible disease. I thank @DrTedros and @WHO for reaching this milestone together.”
I am pleased to announce that the WHO has recommended the R21/Matrix-M™️ Malaria vaccine. The combined efforts of @SerumInstIndia and @UniOfOxford have come to fruition. This will save thousands of lives in Africa afflicted by Malaria, and help bridge the vast gap between the…
— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) October 3, 2023
By National Editor, Everflip News
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