Bharat Biotech announced a nearly 40% reduction in the price of MOSQIVAC, its brand of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine, on 23 October 2026. Under an agreement executed by UNICEF and financially backed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the price will fall from €9.30 to €5.50 per dose from early 2027.
RTS,S/AS01 vaccine
RTS,S/AS01 was the first malaria vaccine recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2021. GSK developed the vaccine with PATH and other partners. Bharat Biotech manufactures it following a technology transfer from GSK and markets it as MOSQIVAC. The vaccine targets malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for the most severe form of the disease.
The vaccine course comprises four doses. The price reduction is projected to save about $50 million for child immunisation programmes between 2027 and 2029. The savings are expected to support vaccination of up to one million additional children with the full four-dose course.
Malaria transmission and vaccination
Malaria is a parasitic disease transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are among the parasite species that cause malaria in humans. The RTS,S/AS01 vaccine is intended for children in malaria-endemic areas as part of broader malaria prevention and control measures.
UNICEF procures vaccines for immunisation programmes, while Gavi provides financial support for vaccine access in eligible countries. The price agreement concerns access in high-burden countries, particularly in Africa, where malaria poses a major public-health burden.
Vaccine access and procurement
The reduced per-dose price applies from early 2027 under the UNICEF-executed agreement backed by Gavi. The projected savings and additional course coverage relate to the 2027–2029 period.
Important Facts for Exams
- WHO recommended RTS,S/AS01 as the first malaria vaccine in 2021.
- Plasmodium falciparum is a malaria-causing parasite transmitted by infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
- The full MOSQIVAC course consists of four doses.
- GSK developed RTS,S/AS01, and Bharat Biotech manufactures it under the MOSQIVAC brand.
MOSQIVAC is the Bharat Biotech brand of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine. The revised price is €5.50 per dose from early 2027.
