Source: TH
Context: The Union government has granted licences to five Indian firms to manufacture and commercialise AdFalciVax, the country’s first indigenous multi-stage malaria vaccine developed by ICMR.
About Multi-Stage Malaria Vaccine AdFalciVax:
- What it is?
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- India’s first indigenous recombinant chimeric multi-stage malaria vaccine designed to block infection and transmission of Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite.
- Developed by:
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- ICMR–Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar, with support from ICMR–National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR) and National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi.
- Aim:
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- To prevent infection in individuals and minimise community transmission of malaria, thereby aiding elimination goals.
- Key Features:
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- Targets parasite before it enters the bloodstream.
- Affordable, scalable, and stable → effective for over nine months at room temperature.
- Multi-stage action ensures protection at both infection and transmission stages.
- Successfully validated in pre-clinical trials.
- New Firms Licensed (2025):
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- Indian Immunologicals Ltd, Techinvention Lifecare Pvt. Ltd, Panacea Biotec Ltd, Biological E Ltd, Zydus Lifesciences.
- Significance:
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- India carries 1.4% of global malaria cases and 66% of Southeast Asia’s burden.
- Boosts Atmanirbhar Bharat in health R&D by indigenising vaccine technology.
- Reduces dependence on imported vaccines and aligns with India’s Malaria Elimination Goal 2030.
