Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Oct 24: Bharat Biotech International Ltd (BBIL) has announced a nearly 40 per cent reduction in the price of its malaria vaccine Mosqivac under an agreement with UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The move is expected to generate around $50 million in savings for childhood immunisation programmes between 2027 and 2029 and help protect up to one million additional children against malaria.
Under the agreement, the price of the vaccine will fall from €9.30 to €5.50 per dose, with the revised price expected to take effect by early 2027. The agreement has been executed by UNICEF and financially supported by Gavi, while an advance payment from the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) has helped facilitate the price reduction. The arrangement is aimed at improving affordability and expanding access to malaria vaccination in countries where the disease remains a major public health concern.
Mosqivac is the brand name under which Bharat Biotech manufactures the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine, originally developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in collaboration with PATH and other partners. The vaccine became the first malaria vaccine recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2021. Bharat Biotech took on manufacturing through a technology transfer arrangement with GSK, helping expand production capacity and strengthen the global supply of the vaccine.
Bharat Biotech Executive Chairman Krishna Ella said the agreement represented a significant commitment to expanding access to malaria vaccination. He said the company had invested substantially in increasing supply, strengthening manufacturing and supporting sustainable, affordable access to malaria vaccines.
Bharat Biotech and GSK have invested approximately $200 million in manufacturing facilities, product development and technology transfer to expand production and reduce costs. The investments are intended to support a more reliable supply of vaccines as demand continues to rise in malaria-endemic countries.
The price reduction is expected to generate savings of around $50 million for childhood immunisation programmes over the three-year period from 2027 to 2029. According to estimates by Gavi and UNICEF, the savings could help provide the complete four-dose vaccination course to up to one million additional children. Alternatively, countries could use the funds to expand coverage of other childhood vaccines, depending on their immunisation priorities and procurement plans.
The agreement comes amid growing demand for malaria vaccines following the expansion of vaccination programmes in Africa. Since the rollout began in 2024, UNICEF has procured and delivered more than 74 million doses of malaria vaccines. Gavi-supported malaria vaccination has also been incorporated into routine immunisation programmes in 25 African countries, which together account for more than 70 per cent of the global malaria burden. Gavi aims to support the vaccination of an additional 50 million children against malaria by 2030.
Malaria remains a major global health challenge, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where young children are among the most vulnerable to severe illness and death. According to estimates cited by UNICEF, the world recorded around 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths in 2024, with up to 95 per cent of cases and deaths occurring in Africa. Children under five accounted for approximately 74 per cent of malaria deaths in the region.
A full four-dose course of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine has been shown to reduce malaria cases by about 75 per cent when administered seasonally in areas with highly seasonal transmission. However, vaccination remains one component of malaria prevention and control, alongside insecticide-treated mosquito nets, vector control, preventive medicines, timely diagnosis and effective treatment.
The new pricing arrangement is subject to regulatory and manufacturing milestones, including WHO prequalification of a new manufacturing facility intended to increase supply capacity. UNICEF will begin procuring doses at the reduced price once the necessary conditions have been met.
The agreement is part of broader international efforts to make essential vaccines more affordable as global health programmes face financial pressures and demand for immunisation continues to grow. By lowering procurement costs, the partnership aims to help countries protect more children against malaria while supporting a sustainable supply of vaccines for the future.