Malaria vaccines | NITAG RESOURCE CENTER

Serogroup or serotype coverage by vaccines considered (for serogroup- or serotype-specific vaccines)

RTS,S/AS01 and R21/Matrix-M are pre-erythrocytic vaccines that target the central repeat amino acid sequence Asn-Ala-Asn-Pro (NANP) region of the P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP). ^{Go to footnote 11}
Protection extends across diverse P. falciparum strains circulating in Africa. ^{Go to footnote 22, Go to footnote 33}

Given the species-specific design of these vaccines and the substantial sequence divergence of CSP across malaria parasites, meaningful protection against non-falciparum species is not expected, although this has not been directly evaluated.

Sources

Go back to footnote reference 1
World Health Organization (2024). Malaria vaccines: WHO position paper, May 2024. Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 99(19):225–248 (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-wer-9919-225-248, accessed 13 May 2026).
Go back to footnote reference 2
RTS,S Clinical Trials Partnership. Efficacy and safety of RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine. N Engl J Med. 2015;372(17):1605–1615. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1415447.
Go back to footnote reference 3
Datoo MS, Dicko A, Tinto H, Ouédraogo JB, Hamaluba M et al. Safety and efficacy of malaria vaccine candidate R21/Matrix-M in African children: a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2024;403(10426):533–544. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(23)02511-4.