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Business Standard
20-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
ICMR invites EoIs for tech transfer to commercialise malaria vaccine
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has invited expressions of interest (EoI) from eligible companies and manufacturers to undertake the transfer of technology for commercialisation of an indigenous recombinant multi-stage malaria vaccine candidate named AdFalciVax. The vaccine candidate, being developed by ICMR's Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar (ICMR-RMRCBB), aims to prevent plasmodium falciparum, a parasite which causes severe and fatal malaria, in humans and minimise its community transmission. According to the EoI, ICMR-RMRCBB will also provide expert guidance and technical support for the production of the vaccine in all phases, effectively accelerating its development and commercialisation. The agreement is proposed to be executed on a non-exclusive basis with single or multiple companies to enable wider outreach of the malaria vaccine for societal benefit and public health use. It added that the development may take at least seven years in four stages with each stage having a six-month buffer time. While ICMR would provide technical support through its team of experienced scientists in study planning and product development, the selected company would be responsible for obtaining all the regulatory approvals, starting from research and development (R&D) for product development to its commercialisation. The Council will also have no financial implications unless otherwise specified, however, its institutes would provide support and facilitation to conduct the R&D and clinical studies of new technology in India. The EoI adds that in case of transfer of technology, ICMR is the sole owner of the said technology, including any underlying Intellectual Properties and commercialisation rights. 'In case of collaboration between ICMR and the company for the joint development of the technology/product, the Background Intellectual Property (BGIP) shall always remain the sole and non-exclusive property of the party generating it,' the EoI said. As part of the agreement, the collaborating company will be required to share technical data with ICMR and participate in all discussions in a professional and mutually agreed-upon manner. 'Subsequent to the execution of the agreement, such companies/manufacturers shall be responsible to pay the royalty at the rate of 2 per cent on net sales, according to the ICMR Guidelines for Technology Development Collaboration,' the medical research body said. According to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) World Malaria Report 2024, India contributes half of all estimated cases in the South East Asia Region, which in turn accounts for 1.5 per cent of the global malaria burden. India currently has access to two WHO-recommended malaria vaccines, Mosquirix and R21/Matrix-M. While the former is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the latter is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII). Both vaccines are primarily for children in areas with moderate to high malaria transmission. 'Based on preclinical data, AdFalciVax may offer advantages such as broader protection and a lower risk of immune evasion compared to existing single-stage malaria vaccines,' an official in the know said. The pre-clinical validation of the vaccine candidate was conducted in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Malaria Research, other constituent institutes of ICMR, and the National Institute of Immunology in Delhi, an autonomous research institute of the Department of Biotechnology.
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Business Standard
20-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
ICMR invites EoIs to undertake tech transfer, commercialise malaria vaccine
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has invited expressions of interest (EoIs) from eligible companies and manufacturers for the transfer of technology to commercialise an indigenous recombinant multi-stage malaria vaccine candidate, AdFalciVax. Developed by ICMR's Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar (ICMR-RMRCBB), AdFalciVax aims to prevent plasmodium falciparum infections in humans and reduce community transmission of the parasite, which causes severe and potentially fatal malaria. Non-exclusive tech transfer model proposed The EoI outlines a non-exclusive agreement to be executed with one or more companies, enabling broader outreach and public health access. ICMR-RMRCBB will offer expert guidance and technical support across all stages of production to facilitate development and commercialisation. The development process is expected to span at least seven years, divided into four stages, with a six-month buffer built into each stage. While ICMR will provide scientific and technical support, the selected companies will be responsible for securing all regulatory approvals—from research and development to final commercialisation. ICMR to retain IP and commercial rights The Council clarified that it would bear no financial liability unless otherwise specified. Its institutes will, however, facilitate R&D and clinical studies within India. In case of technology transfer, ICMR will retain sole ownership of the technology, including all underlying intellectual properties and commercial rights. For joint development projects, any Background Intellectual Property (BGIP) will remain the exclusive property of the party that generated it. Firms to pay royalty on net sales Participating companies must share technical data with ICMR and engage in all discussions professionally and in mutual agreement. 'Subsequent to the execution of the agreement, such companies/manufacturers shall be responsible to pay the royalty at the rate of 2 per cent on net sales, according to the ICMR Guidelines for Technology Development Collaboration,' the Council stated. India among top contributors to regional malaria cases According to the World Health Organisation's World Malaria Report 2024, India accounts for half of the estimated malaria cases in the South-East Asia Region, which contributes 1.5 per cent of the global malaria burden. India currently has access to two WHO-recommended malaria vaccines—Mosquirix, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and R21/Matrix-M, made by the Serum Institute of India (SII). Both are primarily intended for children in regions with moderate to high malaria transmission. Broader protection potential cited An official familiar with the matter said AdFalciVax may offer broader protection and a lower risk of immune evasion compared to existing single-stage vaccines, based on preclinical data. Pre-clinical validation of AdFalciVax was carried out in collaboration with ICMR's National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), other ICMR institutes, and the National Institute of Immunology in Delhi, an autonomous institute under the Department of Biotechnology.
