Geneva – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF have announced a landmark agreement that will dramatically reduce the cost of the highly effective R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine and unlock millions of additional doses, marking a major turning point in the global effort to combat one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases.
The new deal reduces the price of the R21/Matrix-M™ vaccine to US 2.99 per dose, a significant cut expected to take effect within the next year. This sharp reduction is projected to save up to US 90 million for Gavi and implementing countries, enabling the full vaccination of nearly 7 million more children and securing more than 30 million additional vaccine doses over the next five years.
Financing Innovation Accelerates Access
The breakthrough was made possible through an innovative financing mechanism facilitated by the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm). IFFIm converts long-term donor pledges into immediate capital, allowing Gavi to secure favorable long-term market conditions quickly.
An Vermeersch, Gavi’s Chief Vaccine Programmes & Markets Officer, stated that this agreement is a powerful example of the Vaccine Alliance leveraging innovative financing and partnerships to shape vaccine markets and secure affordable access.
This move comes at a critical time, as global malaria cases and deaths have been rising in recent years, driven by factors like climate impacts and disruptions to health services. In 2023 the world recorded 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths, with over 95% of fatalities occurring in the African region, disproportionately affecting children under five.
Strengthening African Health Systems
The malaria vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and co-developed with the University of Oxford, is the second malaria vaccine to be recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), and its addition is crucial for meeting the unprecedented global demand.
UNICEF, as the world’s largest buyer of vaccines, executed the deal to ensure competitive pricing and stable supply chains for countries with limited purchasing power. According to Leila Pakkala, Director of UNICEF’s Supply Division, “A child dies from malaria every minute. That staggering reality drives our commitment to reach every child with lifesaving protection.”
The reduced cost will provide substantial relief to national health budgets in high-transmission African countries, where the cost of treating severe malaria admissions can exceed US 70. Gavi’s malaria vaccination programme has already delivered over 40 million doses and integrated malaria vaccination into routine immunization in 24 African countries, representing more than 70%of the global malaria burden. The new agreement accelerates Gavi’s long-term goal to fully vaccinate 50 million additional children against malaria by 2030, bolstering health systems and community resilience across the continent.