New Delhi : In a major breakthrough in the fight against malaria, India is developing its first indigenous multi-stage recombinant malaria vaccine candidate named AdFalciVax. Designed to target two key stages of the deadly Plasmodium falciparum parasite, AdFalciVax aims to not only protect individuals from infection but also curb the community-level transmission of the disease.
The innovative vaccine is being developed through a collaboration between the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Department of Biotechnology–National Institute of Immunology (DBT-NII). Early preclinical trials have shown promising efficacy, raising hopes for a powerful tool in India’s malaria elimination efforts.
What sets AdFalciVax apart is its dual-action design, which offers individual immunity while disrupting the life cycle of the parasite in mosquito vectors—potentially reducing community-wide spread.
Fulfilling the ‘Make in India’ mission, AdFalciVax stands as a milestone in indigenous biomedical innovation. ICMR plans to license the technology to qualified developers and manufacturers under non-exclusive agreements to accelerate further development, production, and broad public health deployment.
While the vaccine is still in the early R&D phase and not yet ready for clinical use, its progress signals a strong step forward in India’s roadmap to malaria eradication.
