India Pharma Outlook Team | Monday, 21 July 2025
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), along with the Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar (RMRCBB) and the National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), is leading the formulation of a new indigenous malaria vaccine called AdFalciVax. It is being carried out under a collaborative research association with the Department of Biotechnology–National Institute of Immunology (DBT-NII).
AdFalciVax is the first-ever recombinant chimeric malaria vaccine candidate to be developed in India to immunize two significant stages of Plasmodium falciparum parasites that cause the most lethal form of malaria. Unlike all other vaccines that have been developed to immunize a single stage alone, AdFalciVax is expected to offer dual protection—prevention of human infection as well as community transmission reduction.
Preclinical results have been encouraging, with augmented efficacy demonstrated compared to the existing vaccines. The vaccine has achieved broad protection through immunity against multiple lifecycle stages of the parasite, limiting immune evasion risk, and potentially long-term immunity. Importantly, AdFalciVax has evidenced improved thermal stability, maintained for more than nine months under room temperature conditions.
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The recombinant multistage vaccine produced in Lactococcus lactis is designed rationally to break the cycle of transmission at individual and community levels of malaria. This classifies AdFalciVax as one of the most sophisticated malaria vaccine candidates in the world.
ICMR will grant the technology of the vaccine for use on a non-exclusive basis to worthy organizations and manufacturers to enable further development, production, and commercialization. All collaborations will be according to ICMR's Intellectual Property Policy for the widest public health impact.
AdFalciVax is a product of indigenous innovation and will be a boost for the Make in India movement, and will have the capability to significantly help in eradicating malaria. The vaccine is currently in the developmental phase and is not available for clinical or commercial use.
