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The Hindu
01-08-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Malaria's new frontlines: vaccines, innovation, and the Indian endgame
In 2023, malaria infected nearly 294 million people and killed close to 6,00,000. Despite early victories in the fight against malaria, global progress has stalled in recent years. The parasites are adapting, becoming resistant to treatments, while mosquitoes are surviving insecticides. It's a shape-shifting enemy—and the old tools are slipping. India has reduced its malaria burden by over 80% between 2015 and 2023—but last year, tribal districts such as Lawngtlai (Mizoram) and Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh) still recorded malaria rates of over 56 and 22 cases per 1,000 people, respectively as per the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control —reminders that the parasite continues to thrive in several pockets long after national averages have improved. While Africa faces mostly Plasmodium falciparum, India also battles the relapse-prone Plasmodium vivax which can lie dormant in the liver and reawaken weeks or, even months later. In Jharkhand, mixed infections account for nearly 20% of cases (NCVBDC), complicating elimination. Even where incidence has dropped, the parasite can persist—lurking in asymptomatic carriers (people with no symptoms) or returning months after infection. The search for smarter, longer-lasting vaccines has never been more urgent. Hope with limits: RTS,S and R21 After decades of setbacks, the first approved malaria vaccine—RTS,S—arrived in 2021. It offered about 55% protection in the first year, but efficacy waned by 18 months, requiring a fourth booster dose. The R21/Matrix-M vaccine, developed by Oxford and the Serum Institute, showed up to 77% efficacy in Phase 3 trials winning World Health Organization (WHO) approval in 2023. Fewer doses, low cost, and Indian production make it especially promising. Still, both vaccines target only one stage of the parasite, leaving reinfection and transmission a lingering threat. Whole-parasite vaccines: a stronger shot on the horizon Instead of targeting a single protein, like in RTS,S and R21, whole-parasite vaccines expose the immune system to the entire malaria parasite—alive, but weakened. The experimental PfSPZ vaccine mimics natural infection using radiation-weakened P. falciparum sporozoite (the parasite's early-stage form) delivered directly into the bloodstream. Early studies showed that 96% of participants developed strong antibodies, with up to 79% protection after the third dose. Building on that foundation, a modified version called PfSPZ-LARC2, developed by Sanaria, may push efficacy even further. The simplicity of a one-dose regimen, despite the intravenous requirement, could make it a strong candidate for targeted use in outbreak zones or among hard-to-reach migrant populations in India. Unlike vaccines that target the parasite's earlier stage, PfRH5 acts during the blood stage, when symptoms appear and the risk of severe illness increases. Since RH5 is a vital protein for red blood cell invasion that the parasite can't easily alter, it offers cross-strain protection—a rare asset in malaria vaccine design. Phase 1a/b and Phase 2b trials in the UK, The Gambia, and Burkina Faso have shown promising outcomes. These vaccines could complement earlier-stage ones and may help boost natural immunity in people who've previously had malaria. Transmission-blocking vaccines While the above vaccines aim to protect individuals, transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) target the parasite in the mosquito—halting its spread at the population level. Pfs230D1 induces antibodies that prevent parasite fertilization within the mosquito gut. In Mali, it reduced transmission by 78% in a Phase 2 trial. This strategy is especially relevant to India with a far higher proportion of asymptomatic carriers. 'Our group and others in India are actively working on TBVs to address this reservoir,' said Agam P. Singh, scientist at the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi. India, too, is entering the TBV space with its own candidates. In July 2025, AdFalciVax was announced by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the country's first indigenous dual-stage malaria vaccine. Unlike single-phase vaccines, it combines pre-erythrocytic (PfCSP) and transmission-blocking (Pfs230 and Pfs48/45) antigens to both prevent infection and block mosquito transmission. 'AdFalciVax has completed preclinical testing,' said Subhash Singh, who leads the programme at ICMR-RMRC Bhubaneswar. In mice, it triggered strong immune responses lasting over four months—roughly equivalent to a decade in humans—and remained stable at room temperature for nine months, potentially aiding rural deployment. Progress is also visible beyond P. falciparum. A first-in-human trial in Thailand showed that the P. vivax TBV Pvs230D1M reduced mosquito transmission by up to 96%, another ray of light for India's mixed-species numbers. India, too, is not far behind. 'A similar research program for P. vivax is underway, in collaboration with AdFalciVax co-inventors Sanghamitra Pati and Sushil Singh,' said Dr. Singh. Boosting immune power Strengthening the immune response itself is another active front. A recent protein-based vaccine combined a ferritin nanoparticle with CpG—a type of adjuvant, or immune booster already used in hepatitis B vaccines—and cut liver-stage parasite burden by 95% in mice. AdFalciVax showed over 90% protection in mice even with alum, a mild and widely used adjuvant. 'We saw protection on a par with more inflammatory adjuvants such as MPLA (a stronger adjuvant),' said Dr. Singh. 'Whether this holds in humans remains to be seen.' Scientists are also testing newer vaccine platforms such as mRNA, which allow vaccines to be made faster and tweaked more easily than protein-based ones. In 2025, researchers at CureVac and the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) encoded the Pfs25 antigen—targeting the parasite's sexual stage—into an mRNA-lipid nanoparticle. They observed complete transmission blockage in mice, with antibodies lasting over six months from just two doses. However, not all mRNA-based vaccine efforts are moving ahead smoothly. In early 2025, BioNTech's Phase I/IIa trial for its blood-stage mRNA vaccine candidate BNT165e was placed on clinical hold by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While the company did not disclose the reason, it noted that discussions with regulators are ongoing. The pause highlights the hurdles of translating mRNA platforms into malaria vaccines. 'mRNA and nanoparticle platforms can certainly be explored—alone or in combination,' said Pawan Malhotra, emeritus scientist at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi. 'But it's hard to predict what will work. Plasmodium is complex, unlike bacteria or viruses.' Augmenting existing vaccines, blocking immune evasions Beyond boosting the strength of the immune response, scientists are also exploring how to improve its aim—modifying malaria antigens to help the body recognise the parasite more efficiently. A new experimental vaccine links PfCSP—a surface protein from the malaria parasite—to MIP3α, a molecule that acts like a flare to draw in immune cells. In mice, it triggered stronger antibody and T cell responses than standard mRNA vaccines, reducing liver-stage infection by up to 88%. It hasn't yet been tested in humans, but it shows how tweaking the immune response could push malaria vaccines past current limits. Beyond vaccines, researchers are exploring how malaria hides from our immune system. P. falciparum uses RIFIN proteins to bind to immune 'off switches' like the LILRB1 receptor, shutting down immune cells. It's a tactic that helps the parasite hide in plain sight. A new study describes an experimental, engineered antibody, D1D2.v-IgG, designed to block this interaction. Built from a segment of the LILRB1 receptor, the antibody binds to RIFIN 110 times more strongly than the natural version—outcompeting the parasite at its own game. By blocking this interference, it freed the body's LILRB1 to function normally, restoring immune attack in lab tests. Though still untested in animals, the approach could one day support new malaria therapies or enhance vaccine responses. Gene drives and vector suppression While engineered antibodies attack the parasite, CRISPR-based gene drives go after its vector. These tools insert fertility-disrupting genes into mosquitoes. In a landmark study, this approach wiped out entire Anopheles gambiae colonies within a year—with no resistance detected. But evolution rarely plays along. In the wild, mosquitoes might adapt, ecosystems could shift, and once released, gene drives can't be recalled. The idea of eradicating a species raises thorny ethical and ecological questions. So, researchers are exploring subtler strategies. One 2025 study edited a single letter in the FREP1 gene, blocking the malaria parasite from developing inside the mosquito. With a gene drive, this parasite-blocking trait spread to over 90% of lab mosquitoes in ten generations—without harming their fertility or survival. But the parasite remains under pressure to evolve around the block, and infected mosquitoes still live long enough to potentially transmit malaria if the trait doesn't saturate the population. Another team took a different route—engineering mosquitoes to die sooner only when infected. By disabling an immune gene, they created a self-limiting feedback loop: the more malaria spreads, the more it kills its own carriers. Because this strategy doesn't attack the parasite directly, it reduces the pressure for resistance. It's an elegant inversion—using the parasite's success against itself to shrink transmission, without eradicating the vector or requiring perfect coverage. The Indian lens: challenges and the path ahead The nation aims malaria elimination by 2030. It's an ambitious plan—but one that hinges on precision and persistence. Tribal and forested districts in Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and parts of the Northeast are the last strongholds of malaria—often remote areas with limited healthcare access. Even in places where infections seem to be minimal, adults and older children often act as asymptomatic reservoirs, quietly sustaining transmission. The dual-species landscape in India further complicates elimination efforts. 'P. cynomolgi—a monkey malaria species—is the best model for P. vivax research,' said Dr. Malhotra. 'We were developing it 20 years ago with the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), but strict monkey access laws and lack of scientific foresight stalled it.' Despite these challenges in vivax research, efforts to develop a vaccine are gaining ground. Both Dr. Subhash Singh at ICMR and Dr. Agam P. Singh at NII confirm that P. vivax vaccine candidates are under active development. But even the most innovative science needs systems to carry it forward. 'We need a COVID-style push,' said Dr. Malhotra. 'Industry and academia must collaborate with proper funding. We've developed potent therapeutic antibodies against liver-stage parasites and now need partnerships to move them forward. A lone scientist in a lab can't do it all.' The science is advancing—but it needs infrastructure and political will to match. Dr. Singh echoes the sentiment. 'We are now concentrating on translating AdFalciVax's promising preclinical results into trials. Successful deployment however, will require good results over multiple stages of trials as well as regulatory approvals, likely taking at least 7–8 years.' In addition, strong coordination between regulators, industry, and researchers is needed. ICMR has already floated an Expression of Interest seeking industrial partners to co-develop the vaccine. 'Challenges that need to be addressed include producing GMP-grade components, developing immune biomarkers, and benchmarking efficacy against RTS,S and R21,' added Dr. Singh. 'We definitely need vaccines, antibodies, new drugs—for both P. falciparum and P. vivax,' said Dr. Malhotra. 'But that's not enough. Doctors need training, resistance must be tracked, and vector control has to keep pace.' It must be a full-spectrum battle—from the molecular level to the community clinic. India's malaria story is no longer one of uniform burden—it's a fight against hidden reservoirs, remote geographies, and a parasite that won't quit. With next-gen vaccines, homegrown innovation, and growing scientific momentum, the country stands at a critical juncture. Elimination by 2030 is not just a goal—it's a test of whether science, policy, and public health can unite to defeat an ancient foe. The tools are here. Now, we must use them—decisively and everywhere the parasite still survives. (Anirban Mukhopadhyay is a geneticist by training and science communicator from Delhi.
Zawya
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Final step of Warrap community discussions paves way for outlawing early marriages
It was 1975 when traditional chiefs from across what has since 2011 been South Sudan came together in Western Bahr El Ghazal to realize their vision of a uniform customary law – the Quanun Wanh-alel. Half a century later, this law still serves as the basis for judging at least 90% of cases that fall under traditional law, legislation that reflects the customs of the people. Some of these rules, it seems, are no longer passing the tests of time and changing views. 'Our younger generations deserve a new legal system that reflects the modern world,' asserts Adut Akoc, a women's representative in Kuajok. She is referring to people like S., who belongs to the more than 70% of the South Sudanese population aged below 30. For fear of angry reactions, not least from her own family, she prefers to be anonymous. Last year, when S. was only 16, an influential business owner wanted her as his fourth wife. Paying a dowry of 180 cows to S.'s family, the deal was sealed. 'My father and brother love me, but it is our custom for girls to be married off early, because that is what our community has always thought is best, both for the girl and the families involved,' she explains. But S. refused to play along with the age-old script. She refused, and she was made to pay a high price. The rejected would-be husband complained to the police, who in turn put her in prison. After several months and following a visit by a formal justice court, S. was released, with her father instead being ordered to return the cattle that had been paid. While not currently being detained, the court's instruction to hand over the animals, which he no longer possesses, remains. It poses a continued threat to S. and her entire family, at least as long as customary law allows early and forced marriages to be completed. Unless the livestock is returned, the local customs may once again stipulate that any member of the offending family may be imprisoned. S., however, remains defiant. 'My dream is to finish my education and become a teacher. I don't want to be chained to the house.' The domestic nightmare scenario she paints is as real as it is common. Roda Sube, a Gender Affairs Officer serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), has come across numerous similar incidents, including a widowed woman being forced to marry a male relative of her deceased husband, another oft-practiced custom. 'These traditional laws are often a result of social cohesion being valued higher than respecting the relatively modern concept of human rights,' says Pyry Salomo Paulasaari, a Programme Administrator for the International Organization of Migration (IOM), a UN entity that for years has been facilitating discussions with local communities on how to modernize customary rules without threatening the all-important sense of communal togetherness. 'Nobody is better placed to review the laws they must abide by than the people themselves, and they (community members) have been pushing for change,' he adds. Last month, and as fate would have it, Western Bahr El Ghazal, the very place where the archaic traditional laws were first established five decades ago, and in consultation with its former woman governor, became the first state in the country to formally adopt a modernized set of rules, one of which prohibits early and forced marriages. As for S., she has reason to be cautiously optimistic. A recent gathering of chiefs and community leaders from across her state, organized with the support of the UN peacekeeping mission and partners, paved the way for Warrap to follow the example of neighboring Western Bahr El Ghazal. Yes, as things stand, the final approval of Warrap's Ministry of Justice and its Government is the only remaining hurdle to making early and forced marriages a memory of the past. 'It is long overdue. We all need this milestone reform,' says Madhel Lang Juk, Paramount Chief and Chairperson of the state's chapter of the Council of Traditional Authority Leaders. 'Hopefully, others will soon reach the same consensus.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Sky News
30-07-2025
- General
- Sky News
Plane with 48 people on board crashes in Russia's far east
A Russian plane carrying 48 people - including children - has crashed with no survivors, according to reports. The aircraft was flying from the city of Blagoveshchensk on the Russian- Chinese border to the remote town of Tynda, regional governor Vasily Orlov said. "All necessary forces and means have been deployed to search for the plane," Mr Orlov said on Telegram, adding all passengers and crew were killed in the crash. An error during landing in poor visibility caused the crash in the eastern part of the Amur region, TASS news agency reported. Unverified video, shot from a helicopter and posted on social media, appeared to show the plane had come down in a densely forested area. It caught fire during its descent, and no survivors were spotted during an aerial inspection of the site, TASS said, quoting a statement from the regional civil defence and fire safety centre. "According to the director of Tynda Airport, the plane caught fire upon impact, and a Mi-8 helicopter crew flying over the area reported no signs of survivors," the statement said. The Interfax news agency, citing unnamed sources in the emergency services, said there were difficult weather conditions in the area. The transport prosecutor's office in Russia's far east reported the site of the crash was 10 miles (15km) south of Tynda, adding in an online statement that the plane was trying to make a second approach during landing when contact with it was lost. Burning fuselage of the plane, which was from the Soviet era and was nearly 50 years old, was found by a rescue helicopter south of Tynda, emergency officials said, adding that rescue crews were rushing to the scene. The Antonov An-24 turboprop plane, built in 1976 according to its tail number, and operated by a privately-owned Siberia-based airline called Angara, disappeared from radar over the area, local officials said. It was believed to be a few kilometres away from its destination when it lost contact, the SHOT news agency reported. The local emergencies ministry put the number of people on board somewhat lower, at around 40, while Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry said 48 people were on board the flight. It was unclear why numbers differed. Yuliya Petina, an emergency services official, wrote on Telegram: "During the search operation, a Mi-8 helicopter belonging to Rossaviatsiya discovered the fuselage of the aircraft, which was on fire. "Rescuers continue to make their way to the scene of the accident". An investigation has been launched, authorities said.
Indian Express
27-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: AdFalciVax and the fight against malaria — What you must-know for UPSC Exam
Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your UPSC Current Affairs Knowledge Nugget for today on AdFalciVax and malaria. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has invited the country's vaccine manufacturers to partner with it to launch and sell a malaria vaccine, AdFalciVax, that its Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneshwar, has developed. In this context, let's know about this new vaccine and malaria. 1. AdFalciVax is a chimeric recombinant vaccine — a type of vaccine that uses different parts of the genes of a pathogen (in this case, Plasmodium) to create target proteins that trigger an immune response after being injected. 2. AdFalciVax uses two types of target proteins to prevent the spread of infection in two different ways. ↪ It uses the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) to prevent infection in the person who has been immunised. The CSP is produced during the sporozoite stage (when a parasite can infect a new host) and the liver stage (when a parasite enters liver cells, multiplies, and then infects red blood cells) of the parasite. 'Any immune response generated against these stages protects the immunised person from getting the infection.' Subhash Singh, project manager for development of the vaccine at the ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar told The Indian Express. ↪ The vaccine also uses the Pro6C protein, a fusion of parts of two different proteins — Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 — produced by Plasmodium falciparum. This protein prevents the spread of infection in the community. 3. Researchers have found that AdFalciVax provided more than 90% protection against infection in mice. The candidate vaccine has yet to undergo rigorous human trials, and the preliminary results have been obtained only through testing on animals. 4. The ICMR wants to partner with a company that can further develop its candidate vaccine, carry out human clinical trials, and scale up for commercial production. Although the ICMR will share the technology of developing AdFalciVax with the chosen company, it will continue to hold the intellectual property rights. Any intellectual property rights generated during the collaboration will be held jointly by the ICMR and the company. 5. Notably, AdFalciVax mainly targets two parts of Plasmodium falciparum, a pathogen that is the most common source of malaria in humans. In India, however, the disease is caused by Plasmodium vivax against which AdFalciVax is ineffective. To combat malaria, scientists have been working to develop a vaccine for decades but with limited success. Recently, two vaccines—RTS,S and R21—were approved for use, but their efficacy, at 75%, is quite low. That's why the announcement about ICMR's candidate vaccine has given new hope in the fight against the disease. World Malaria Day is observed every year on 25th April by the World Health Organisation to raise awareness and drive action against malaria. The theme for World Malaria Day 2025 is 'Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite.' 1. Having claimed millions of lives, malaria has been one of the deadliest diseases in human history. Currently, the disease kills about four lakh people annually, according to World Health Organization (WHO) figures. 2. Malaria is a parasitic infection transmitted by mosquitoes, typically causing symptoms such as fever, chills, night sweats, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. In some cases, it can lead to severe complications such as seizures, fluid in the lungs, organ damage, and death. 3. It is most endemic in Africa — Nigeria, Congo, Tanzania, Mozambique, Niger, and Burkina Faso together account for more than half the yearly deaths. 1. India has demonstrated significant progress in reducing malaria cases and associated mortality in the country's high-endemic states, according to the findings of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) 'World Malaria Report 2024′. 2. 'India exited the HBHI [high-burden to high-impact] group officially in 2024 due to significant progress in reducing the malaria incidence and mortality observed in its high-endemic states,' the report observed. 3.'Nationwide, the number of estimated malaria cases in India decreased from 6.4 million in 2017 (the year before the HBHI's introduction) to 2 million cases in 2023 (69 per cent decrease). Similarly, the estimated malaria deaths decreased from 11,100 to 3,500 (68 per cent decrease) during the same period,' it said. 4. The HBHI refers to a targeted WHO initiative aimed at the most acutely malaria-impacted regions of the world, including several countries in Africa. Widespread resistance of malarial parasite to drugs like chloroquine has prompted attempts to develop a malarial vaccine to combat malaria. Why is it difficult to develop an effective malaria vaccine? (UPSC CSE 2010) (a) Malaria is caused by several species of Plasmodium (b) Man does not develop immunity to malaria during natural infection (c) Vaccines can be developed only against bacteria (d) Man is only an intermediate host and not the definitive host (Sources: India registers 'significant progress' in reducing malaria cases: WHO, WHO report says India reduces malaria caseload, deaths by 69% each) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for July 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at
New Indian Express
18-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
RMRC Bhubaneswar develops advanced malaria vaccine, ready for tech transfer
BHUBANESWAR: In a significant breakthrough, a team of researchers led by the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar, has developed a novel and advanced malaria vaccine that can prevent Plasmodium falciparum infection in humans and community transmission. The new recombinant, chimeric multi-stage vaccine code-named AdFalciVax has been designed to protect against the deadliest malaria parasite in humans. It is now ready for technology transfer to manufacturers for production, clinical trials and its commercialisation. Currently, two malaria vaccines are available and cost in a range of `250 to `830 per dose. The efficacy rate is between 33 per cent and 67 per cent. Unlike existing WHO-recommended vaccines RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix) and R21/Matrix-M, AdFalciVax offers dual-stage protection and is cost-effective. Scientist-D at RMRC Dr Susheel Singh said the new vaccine can prevent human infection and interrupt transmission in the community. 'AdFalciVax uses a full-length PfCSP, a major protein found in Pf, for broader protection and includes a novel fusion of Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 proteins to produce strong antibodies that stop the transmission,' he said. What makes AdFalciVax stand out among the existing vaccines is its exceptional pharmaceutical stability. The formulation remains potent for over nine months at room temperature, eliminating the need for costly cold chain logistics, which continue to be a major bottleneck in vaccine distribution across remote and resource-limited regions. According to the researchers, the vaccine has been developed with the help of cutting-edge protein engineering using Lactococcus lactis, a safe bacterial host. The pre-clinical validation of the technology has been conducted by RMRC in collaboration with National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR) and National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi. RMRC director Dr Sanghamitra Pati said, 'The vaccine's efficacy was sustained for over four months post-boost, which translates to over a decade of protection in humans.' Meanwhile, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi has invited expressions of interest from the eligible organisations, companies and manufacturers for transfer of technology and commercialisation.
