Advances and Challenges for the Malaria Vaccine: A Review

Abstract

Malaria remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, where transmission rates are highest. Traditional control measures, such as insecticide-treated bed nets and antimalarial drugs, have helped reduce the disease’s impact, but challenges such as drug and insecticide resistance continue to undermine these efforts. A highly effective malaria vaccine represents a crucial step towards achieving long-term control and eventual eradication. This review explores recent advances in malaria vaccine development, including the RTS, S/AS01 and R21/Matrix-M vaccines, while highlighting their limitations related to efficacy, immunity duration, and accessibility in resource-poor regions. Additionally, it addresses the challenges in developing multivalent vaccines, targeting different strains of Plasmodium, and the need for integrated approaches combining vaccination with existing control strategies. Looking ahead, the review discusses the potential of next-generation vaccines, mRNA platforms, and hybrid strategies that could enhance global malaria control efforts. Keywords: Malaria vaccine, RTS, S/AS01, R21/Matrix-M, transmission-blocking vaccines, malaria control.