Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF have announced a new agreement that will make the R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccines significantly more accessible and affordable, paving the way to protect more children from one of the world's deadliest diseases.

The deal, backed by Gavi and executed by UNICEF, is expected to generate up to US$ 90 million in savings for Gavi and countries, equivalent to more than 30 million additional doses – enabling the full vaccination of nearly 7 million more children against malaria over the next five years. The deal is financed by Gavi through an advance payment enabled by the innovative International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) mechanism.

The lower price of the vaccine – at US$ 2.99 per dose – is anticipated to take effect in approximately one year. The deal reflects a shared commitment by Gavi and UNICEF to shape a sustainable, competitive malaria vaccine market and to meet the Alliance's target to fully vaccinate 50 million more children against malaria by 2030. The agreement follows a commitment at Gavi's June 2025 pledging summit in Brussels to lower vaccine costs and expand access.

"Today's announcement is a powerful example of what our Vaccine Alliance does best: leverage innovative financing and partnerships to shape vaccine markets and secure access to affordable vaccines – saving lives and delivering economic benefits to countries in the process," said An Vermeersch, Gavi's Chief Vaccine Programmes & Markets Officer, in a statement issued last Friday, November 21, 2025. "There has been an unprecedented demand for this new tool that will better protect children against one of Africa's largest killers of children under five, and we thank our partners who are helping us match the strong commitment countries have already shown to the malaria vaccine."

Gavi facilitates and finances the procurement, logistics, market shaping and integration of malaria vaccines into national immunization programs. To date, over 40 million doses of malaria vaccines have been delivered through the Gavi malaria vaccination programme and are now part of routine immunization in 24 African countries that together represent more than 70% of the world's malaria burden.

UNICEF is the world's largest buyer of vaccines, delivering nearly three billion doses of vaccine every year, enough to vaccinate almost half of the world's children. As such, UNICEF leads and maintains engagement with strategic manufacturers to achieve the best possible prices and, jointly with Gavi and other partners, fosters the healthy markets that are a prerequisite for a secure and sustainable global supply of life-saving vaccines for children.

"A child dies from malaria every minute, a devastating death toll of nearly half a million young lives claimed each year," said Leila Pakkala, Director of UNICEF Supply Division. "At this critical juncture of unprecedented decline in funding for international aid, UNICEF is determined to continue our proactive work with partners to deliver enough vaccines at the best possible price to immunize and protect children from preventable diseases."

This milestone was made possible thanks to IFFIm, Gavi's innovative financing engine. By transforming long-term donor pledges into immediate cash, IFFIm gives the Alliance the agility to act fast when opportunities arise – such as securing equitable pricing for malaria vaccines. Since its inception, IFFIm has mobilized billions to accelerate immunization, proving that smart financial tools can deliver life-saving impact at scale.

"IFFIm exists to turn ambition into action. This agreement shows how financial innovation can unlock opportunities that save lives. By enabling Gavi to move quickly, we're not just funding vaccines – we're helping fight malaria and create a future where every child has a fair chance at protection," said Ken Lay, Chair of the Board of Directors, IFFIm.

In 2023, there were an estimated 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths globally, 11 million more cases than the previous year. About 95% of deaths – mainly in children under five – occurred in the African Region, where many still lack access to basic prevention and treatment. In many high-burden countries, the disease makes up the largest share of hospital consultations, representing a high cost to families and health systems. The World Health Organization estimates that treating an uncomplicated case in sub-Saharan Africa costs US$ 4–7 per outpatient visit, while severe cases requiring hospital care can exceed US$ 70.

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