The World Health Organization (WHO) has awarded prequalification to GSK’s (LSE/NYSE:GSK) Mosquirix.
The move marks the first time that a malaria vaccine has won prequalification.
The WHO decision regarding the Mosquirix malaria vaccine is a prerequisite for United Nations (UN) agencies like UNICEF to procure the vaccine in regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission.
Malaria was associated with 409,000 deaths in 2019, according to WHO.
GSK shares fell 1.19% in afternoon trading to $31.47.
The Mosquirix malaria vaccine is also referred to as RTS and S/AS01.
Mosquirix has a long developmental history. GSK began developing the vaccine, then known as RTS,S, in 1987.
In 2001, GSK and PATH’s Malaria Vaccine Initiative entered into a public-private partnership to develop the vaccine for infants and young children in malaria-prone countries.
To win the WHO prequalification, GSK shared detailed c…