[OUAGADOUGOU] Le vaccin antipaludique “R21/Matrix-M”, developed by Burkinabe researchers and their partners at the University of Oxford (England), has been approved by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency of Burkina Faso.
This vaccine is intended for children aged 5 to 36 months, the age group most at risk of malaria death. This decision was made after clinical trials showed a high level of effectiveness.
“The results of the phase 2 clinical trial we conducted show that the R21 vaccine has a protective efficacy of 77% over one year, and with a booster dose, this level of effectiveness could be maintained for at least 3 years,” says Dr. Halidou Tinto, lead investigator of the phase 2 and 3 trials of R21 at the Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro, a city located 90 km from Ouagadougou.
“Previously, we had strategies, but we did not have the vaccination strategy in the fight against malaria. With the R21/Matrix-M, which will begin administration in 2024, we are truly entering this approach, which will further strengthen it.”
Christian Kompaoré, permanent secretary for malaria elimination
Interviewed by SciDev.Net, the researcher adds that the end of the data analysis for year 4 will determine whether “this efficacy can reach 4 years.”
For Halidou Tinto, a key player in the development process of the R21 vaccine, “this decision by the Agency is a great recognition of my career as a researcher. This is especially important since, in the history of modern medicine, vaccines remain the most effective tool we have to control infectious diseases,” he states.
This news has been well received by Christian Kompaoré, the permanent secretary for malaria elimination. He supports the fact that “to see the Agency authorize a vaccine is truly a very positive thing, especially since we are truly committed to the goal of malaria elimination,” he explains.
“We were already satisfied to see that the RTS’S vaccine was also approved. And this approval of the R21 vaccine also adds to the therapeutic arsenal to combat this disease,” he comments.
On his part, Bruno Nébié, Secretary-General of the Artemisia House in Burkina, emphasizes that the approval of this vaccine is more than necessary.
“It is inconceivable today that someone can die from malaria, which is a parasite known for a long time and unfortunately continues to claim lives every day. This vaccine will certainly make a difference in the fight against malaria. 77% efficacy for a vaccine is extremely good and encouraging,” Bruno Nébié says.
One million doses
Burkina Faso thus becomes the 3rd country to authorize the use of the antimalarial vaccine R21/Matrix-M, after Ghana and Nigeria. According to the Burkinabe Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, Lucien Kargougou, nearly 12 million cases of malaria, including 539,488 severe cases, and 4,243 deaths, including 2,925 children under 5 years, were recorded in 2022.
More than 60% of malaria deaths affect children under 5 years old, deplores Halidou Tinto.
To reduce malaria mortality among this vulnerable group, health authorities plan to vaccinate children aged 5 to 17 months against malaria in 2024 with R21/Matrix-M.
“One million doses will be available to cover the targeted children in 27 health districts identified based on their high lethality and incidence,” the Minister of Health said during a press conference on July 27, 2023.
According to Halidou Tinto, the use of this vaccine will be a significant addition to the malaria control strategy in Burkina Faso and Africa. The researcher recalls that vaccination led to the elimination of smallpox in 1980 and the near elimination of diseases such as yellow fever, measles, etc., with the recent case of Covid-19 being a good example.
“Therefore, with the R21/Matrix-M vaccine, which has a protective efficacy of 77%, we have the most effective means of prevention against malaria infection. In my opinion, the R21 vaccine will be a game-changer in the fight against malaria,” he affirms.
Christian Kompaoré believes that the approval of the R21 vaccine will strengthen the vaccination strategy against malaria.
“Previously, we had strategies, but we did not have the vaccination strategy in the fight against malaria. With the R21/Matrix-M, which will begin administration in 2024, we are truly entering this approach and it will be further strengthened,” he says.
Vaccine trial
The production and commercialization license for this vaccine has been transferred from the University of Oxford to the Serum Institute of India.
Halidou Tinto explains that this Institute has submitted licensing applications in several countries as well as to the WHO. “This means that by the end of this year, other countries in addition to Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Nigeria will certainly approve this vaccine,” he hopes.
But at this stage of research, R21/Matrix-M only protects children under 5 years old. According to the researcher, studies are planned for 2024 to evaluate the effectiveness of the R21 vaccine in children under 5 years old and in older children, including adults.
“For example, in 2024, we plan to test the R21 vaccine in adults to assess its usefulness in interrupting transmission,” he says.
In the meantime, the Permanent Secretary for Malaria Elimination hopes that the population will embrace this vaccine, which will contribute to the process of eliminating the disease.
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2023-08-11 23:43:00
