Burkina Faso: Malaria Fight / R21/Matrix-M™ Authorized for Sale

In Burkina Faso, a less expensive yet highly effective vaccine can now be administered to young children as a preventive measure against malaria. The vaccine, called R21/Matrix-M™, has recently been approved for sale by health specialists in Burkina Faso.

The news was made public on Monday, July 24, 2023, by the Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro at the Institute of Research in Health Sciences (CNRTS/IRSS).

The authorization was issued by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (ANRP) under the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, as highlighted in the statement that attests to the vaccine’s efficacy.

It has already proven its effectiveness, particularly «among children aged 5 to 36 months, who are particularly vulnerable to malaria», the statement says.

R21/Matrix-M™ is a vaccine developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford and contains the R21 antigen specific to the malaria parasite, along with the Matrix-M™ adjuvant from Novavax, which enhances the immune response. It is produced and marketed by the Serum Institute of India (SII).

Of course, before approving its marketing, the Institute of Research in Health Sciences of the National Center for Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST-IRSS) tested the effectiveness of the remedy, emphasized Professor Halidou Tinto, Research Director in parasitology and Principal Investigator of the phase II and III trials of R21 in Nanoro, who stated: «The approval of an antimalarial vaccine with such high levels of safety and efficacy is a major achievement in my research career in Africa. We are very proud to contribute to saving millions of lives on our continent».

The approval of this product represents a significant step towards reducing infant mortality in Burkina Faso, as praised by the Minister of Health.

«Malaria is one of the main causes of infant mortality in Burkina Faso. Following the initial safety and efficacy results of this vaccine reported in 2021 by the team at the Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro, we were optimistic about its future approval, and we are very happy to see it materialize today.

This vaccine will be extremely important new tool that will help accelerate the malaria elimination program in Burkina Faso,» said Robert Kargougou.