World’s First Malaria Vaccine (RTS,S)

World’s First Malaria Vaccine (RTS,S) : Recently, Bharat Biotech International Ltd. and GSK plc announced a landmark decision to reduce the price of the world’s first malaria vaccine, RTS,S, by over 50% by 2028.

• About RTS,S : Also known as Mosquirix, is the world’s first and only malaria vaccine shown to significantly reduce malaria in children.

o Scientific basis: RTS,S is the technical name denoting the vaccine’s composition; it is designed to stimulate the immune system against malaria.

o Mode of action:Targets the early stage of malaria infection.

- Prevents the malaria parasite from infecting liver cells after entering the bloodstream through a mosquito bite.

o Efficacy (clinical trials): Prevents about 40% of malaria cases and reduces 30% of life-threatening severe malaria cases in children.

• World Health Organization (WHO) recently prequalified a second malaria vaccine—R21/Matrix-M, developed by the University of Oxford and Serum Institute of India