Malaria Outbreaks Reduced by Innovative Vaccines in 2024

Malaria affects millions of lives annually, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, according to a Perspective published by the Malaria Journal.

Despite being largely preventable, malaria outbreaks caused  247 million infections and over 600,000 deaths across 85 countries in 2021,

In the ongoing battle against malaria outbreaks, a promising development has emerged with the endorsement by the World Health Organization of the R21/Matrix-M™ Malaria Vaccine.

Developed through a collaboration between the University of Oxford and Novavax Inc., this vaccine has demonstrated remarkable efficacy, reaching 77% effectiveness in Phase 2 clinical trials.

R21 is designed to be low-dose, cost-effective, and accessible, with approval for use in children under three years old.

Published on January 12, 2024, this paper critically examines the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, its development, potential impact on global malaria eradication efforts, and the challenges and opportunities it presents.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about 2,000 malaria cases are diagnosed in the United States annually, mostly in travelers returning to cities such as Miami, Florida.

As of January 27, 2024, malaria vaccines are unavailable in the U.S.