ICMR Seeks Partners For Commercialisation Of Malaria Vaccine

The Regional Medical Research Centre in Bhubaneswar, part of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has developed AdFalciVax, a recombinant chimeric multi-stage malaria vaccine designed to prevent Plasmodium falciparum infection and reduce community transmission.

This marks a significant advancement in India’s efforts to combat malaria.

The ICMR in Delhi has issued an Expression of Interest (EoI) to invite applications from eligible organisations, companies, and manufacturers interested in technology transfer to facilitate the commercial production of AdFalciVax.

The initiative allows capable entities to partner in scaling up this promising vaccine.

The vaccine’s pre-clinical validation was conducted through a collaborative effort involving ICMR-NIMR (National Institute of Malaria Research), other ICMR-affiliated institutes, and the National Institute of Immunology, an autonomous body under the Department of Biotechnology.

This multi-institutional cooperation affirms the scientific rigour behind AdFalciVax.

Following the award of the EoI, the ICMR-RMRC Bhubaneswar will provide comprehensive technical assistance throughout all stages of vaccine production.

The centre will lend its expertise to accelerate development and commercialisation efforts.

Comprehensive Assistance from ICMR

The ICMR’s experienced scientific team will support collaborating partners across various domains, including:

• Study planning and protocol development
• Product development and improvement
• Safety and efficacy assessments
• Results and data analysis
• Outcome evaluation

This full-spectrum technical collaboration aims to ensure the highest standards and efficacy of the vaccine product through mutual agreement.

ICMR’s invitation for EoI for AdFalciVax signals a strategic move toward making a home-grown malaria vaccine available to the public.

The partnership-driven model encourages private sector involvement in the final stages of vaccine development, potentially transforming India’s fight against malaria within national and global health frameworks.

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