Centre grants licences to five firms to manufacture its first indigenous malaria vaccine, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The Union government has granted licenses to five firms to manufacture India's first indigenous malaria vaccine.
• The vaccine, AdFalciVax, was developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and partners.
• The vaccine targets the Plasmodium falciparum parasite to prevent infection and minimize transmission.
• The vaccine remains effective for over nine months at room temperature, offering an affordable and scalable solution.
• India carries 1.4% of the global malaria case burden and 66% of cases in Southeast Asia.

Detailed Insights:

• AdFalciVax is a recombinant chimeric multi-stage malaria vaccine designed to prevent infection in humans.
• The ICMR invited expressions of interest from organizations for technology transfer and commercialization of the vaccine.
• Pre-clinical validation was conducted in collaboration with ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research and the National Institute of Immunology (NII).
• The licensed firms include Indian Immunologicals Ltd., Techinvention Lifecare Private Ltd., Panacea Biotec Ltd., Biological E Ltd., and Zydus Lifesciences.
• Malaria is a significant public health issue in India, necessitating effective and affordable interventions like this vaccine.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Recombinant Vaccine: A vaccine produced through recombinant DNA technology, using genetic engineering to create antigens.
• Plasmodium falciparum: The most dangerous species of malaria parasite, responsible for the majority of malaria-related deaths globally.
• Multi-stage Vaccine: A vaccine that targets the parasite at multiple stages of its life cycle to prevent infection.