On Dec. 21, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it had prequalified the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine to prevent malaria disease in children caused by the P. falciparum parasite in endemic areas. Prequalification status enables United Nations agencies to procure the vaccine for eligible countries and will enable global rollout of the vaccine.

Developed by University of Oxford and Serum Institute of India, the vaccine leverages Novavax’s saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant. The R21/Matrix-M vaccine is one of several ongoing collaborations involving Novavax’s adjuvant technology, including additional research in malaria and other infectious diseases in both humans and animals.