Oxford and Serum Institute Partner on New Malaria Vaccine

Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India have agreed to jointly develop a new malaria vaccine called R78C. The Serum Institute, already the world's largest vaccine maker by volume, will handle manufacturing at scale once the candidate advances far enough to require it. The R78C vaccine is designed to target different stages of the malaria parasite, which sets it apart from earlier candidates that focus on a single stage. That multi-stage approach could make the vaccine more effective across a broader range of infections. Malaria kills hundreds of thousands of people each year, with sub-Saharan Africa bearing the heaviest burden. A more effective vaccine made at Serum's scale would directly affect how quickly and cheaply doses reach the populations most at risk. The Oxford-Serum pairing has prior form: their earlier collaboration produced the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, which received WHO prequalification. Watch for early clinical data on R78C and any supply or pricing commitments tied to low-income country access.