The 2nd Generation Malaria Vaccine Consortium (MVC-2G) will be co-led by Professor Angela Minassian at the University of Oxford, and Associate Professor H. Magloire Natama at the Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé – Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (IRSS/CRUN) in Burkina Faso. Funded by the European Commission EDCTP3 for five years, it brings together nine leading research institutions from Africa, the European Union and the UK, with support from the Serum Institute of India, to optimise a next-generation multi-stage malaria vaccine. This aims to offer more complete protection than the current licensed malaria vaccines, R21/Matrix-M™ (Serum Institute of India) and RTS,S/AS01 (GSK), by also providing protection against the blood-stage of the parasite, therefore creating a powerful second line of defence in young children.
The MVC-2G vaccine candidate will build on the success of R21/Matrix-M™, which has demonstrated high efficacy against the liver-infecting sporozoite stage of Plasmodium falciparum – the deadliest malaria parasite – with two additional components, RH5.1 and R78C, developed by the Draper Lab at the University of Oxford combined with a scalable protein manufacturing technology from ExpreS2ion Biotechnologies in Denmark. Together, these multiple components will target both the liver- and blood-stages of the malaria parasite’s lifecycle.
Professor Angela Minassian, Consortium Coordinator and Clinical Trials lead for the Draper Lab, based in the Department of Paediatrics, said: “Licensed malaria vaccines have brought us a significant step closer to controlling this devastating parasite. MVC-2G will build on this exciting progress by optimising protection against the blood-stage of infection and combining it with R21/Matrix-M™ to deliver the most comprehensive protection yet in young children. Once we have optimised the way we deliver this vaccine candidate (number of doses, spacing, alignment with national immunisation programmes) in small-scale trials with our African partners, we will go on to demonstrate further safety and efficacy of this promising candidate in larger-scale clinical trials.”
Malaria remains one of the world’s most pressing public health challenges, with an estimated 263 million cases and 597,000 deaths in 2023, the majority among young children in sub-Saharan Africa.
Over the next five years, the consortium will:
- Evaluate the safety and efficacy of the multi-stage vaccine in African children.
- Explore alternative vaccination schedules to align with national immunisation programmes, reducing delivery costs and improving accessibility.
- Assess the vaccine’s potential to support future malaria elimination strategies by also testing in both older children and adults.
- Build local research capacity through the training and mentorship of early-career African scientists.
- Work closely with health authorities and regulators to facilitate future vaccine approval and deployment.
Associate Professor Magloire Natama, co-lead of the MVC-2G and Scientific Project Lead at the Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé – Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (IRSS/CRUN) in Burkina Faso, said: “This consortium demonstrates the power of collaboration between African and European partners. By uniting our scientific expertise, regional experience, and commitment to innovation, we are building a truly global effort to develop a second-generation malaria vaccine. Together, we are taking a decisive step toward a future where malaria is no longer a threat to the communities it impacts most.”
The MVC-2G consortium accelerates progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 – ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all. The project is funded by the Global Health European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership 3 (Global Health EDCTP3) – a unique European and African partnership working to improve health through research and development. Backed by the European Union and over 40 countries, it focuses on infectious diseases that continue to harm millions across sub-Saharan Africa.
Professor Melissa Kapulu from the KEMRI – Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) said: “The establishment of MVC-2G marks a critical opportunity to advance next generation vaccines that meet the realities of malaria-endemic regions. At KWTRP, we are committed to generating the rigorous clinical evidence needed to ensure that new tools truly benefit African communities most affected by malaria.”
Professor Mohammed Samai from the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) at the University of Sierra Leone said: “This collaboration strengthens our long-standing efforts to reduce the malaria burden in Sierra Leone. By contributing clinical and scientific expertise, COMAHS is proud to support the evaluation of a vaccine that could transform malaria control for future generations.”
A spokesperson for the Centre for Malaria and Other Tropical Diseases Care (CEMTROD), Nigeria, said: “CEMTROD is honoured to be part of a consortium dedicated to innovation that directly targets the needs of malaria-endemic populations. Our participation reflects Nigeria’s commitment to accelerating research that delivers safer, more effective vaccines for our communities.”
A spokesperson for the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) said: “IPD has a long history of driving infectious disease research in West Africa. Joining MVC-2G allows us to bring our expertise in vaccinology and laboratory science to a coordinated global effort aimed at delivering a next-generation malaria vaccine with durable, high-impact protection.”
The Director of Science at Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), Dr. Ally Olotu said: “At IHI, we see first-hand the urgent need for better malaria prevention tools. We have participated in the clinical development of the blood-stage malaria vaccines, RH5 and R78C from early stages of assessing vaccine safety and early immune responses in semi-immune adults. IHI contributed to the pivotal phase three clinical trials of the world’s first WHO-approved malaria vaccines, (RTS,S/AS01 and R21/Matrix-M™), generating critical evidence on safety and efficacy in African children. This consortium represents a major opportunity to expand the scientific evidence base for multi-stage vaccines and to build regional capacity for future malaria elimination efforts.”
A spokesperson for the European Vaccine Initiative (EVI) said: “The MVC-2G partnership demonstrates the importance of sustained international collaboration in advancing innovative vaccine technologies. EVI is committed to supporting a development pathway that ensures the highest scientific standards from early optimisation through to field evaluation.”
John Bradley, Professor of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) said: “LSHTM is delighted to contribute its expertise in malaria epidemiology and clinical research to this highly ambitious initiative. A second-generation vaccine has the potential to significantly strengthen global malaria control strategies, and we are proud to support this collective effort.”
Dr Max Soegaard, Chief Science Officer, of ExpreS2ion Biotechnologies (ES2B) commented: “As developers of cutting-edge protein expression technology, ES2B is delighted to support the creation of a multi-antigen malaria vaccine. Being part of MVC-2G reflects our commitment to enabling innovative, scalable vaccine solutions that can make a meaningful difference in global health.”
A spokesperson for the MRC Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) said: “MVC-2G is a unique collaboration designed to advance the development of next-generation malaria vaccines grounded in the priorities of African populations. By contributing our scientific expertise and deep experience in infectious disease research, we aim to strengthen the evidence base needed to deliver safer, more effective malaria prevention tools across the region.”
Full list of consortium partners:
- University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé – Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (IRSS/CRUN), Burkina Faso
- KEMRI – Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP)
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (University of Sierra Leone), Sierra Leone
- Centre for Malaria and Other Tropical Disease Care (CEMTROD), Nigeria
- Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Senegal
- Ifakara Health Institute, Tanzania
- European Vaccine Initiative (EVI), Germany
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), United Kingdom
- ExpreS2ion Biotechnologies, Denmark
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit