A new era for malaria control: the role of malaria vaccines

Through the WHO-coordinated Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP), launched in 2019, more than 800 000 children have received at least 1 dose of the RTS,S vaccine in selected areas of 3 African countries. RTS,S is, to date, the only malaria vaccine to complete a Phase 3 clinical trial and receive a positive scientific opinion from the European Medicines Agency, a stringent regulatory authority.

In a virtual plenary session on 18 October 2021, WHO and partners will share 2 years of data from the MVIP and explore next steps for the use of the RTS,S vaccine as part of the broader malaria control toolkit. The session, co-hosted by WHO and the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), will be held during the tenth EDCTP Forum, a biennial conference taking place on 17-21 October 2021 that provides an international platform for the presentation and discussion of clinical studies aimed at combating poverty-related diseases.

RTS,S is in many respects a pathfinder for other malaria vaccines. This session will also take stock of the latest advances in malaria vaccine research and development, providing updates on the leading vaccine candidates currently in the pipeline and on new initiatives to evaluate and produce vaccines in Africa.