Malaria Research and Innovation at USAID
A longstanding commitment with proven results
USAID’s investments in malaria research and innovation have changed the landscape of malaria prevention and control. Thanks to USAID support, pioneering studies provided the evidence needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of insecticide-treated mosquito nets. Now, mosquito nets are a core tenet of global malaria prevention and control efforts—protecting families when malaria-carrying mosquitoes are most active, at night.
USAID has been on the forefront of the fight against drug resistance. USAID support for drug efficacy monitoring provided key evidence on the emergence of artemisinin resistance on the Thai-Cambodia border in the late 2000s. Several new artemisinin-based combination treatments for severe malaria were subsequently developed with USAID support, and the Agency has facilitated widespread introduction of these much-needed treatments.
Current Research Priorities
Development of malaria vaccines, novel insecticide-based vector control tools, and new antimalarial drugs are USAID's current research and development priorities.
Malaria Vaccine Development Program
USAID’s Malaria Vaccine Development Program partners with private and public sector researchers to develop and evaluate novel malaria vaccines targeting multiple stages of the malaria parasite’s life cycle aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality in children living in malaria-endemic areas of the world.
Innovative Vector Control Consortium
The Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC) is a not-for-profit, public-private partnership whose mission is to save lives, protect health, and increase prosperity in areas where diseases transmitted by insects are endemic. IVCC targets practical scientific solutions to accelerate the process from innovation to impact, such as developing new insecticides for malaria control. USAID provides financial support for IVCC’s vector control research and development work. A key focus of USAID’s support has been to provide targeted funding to build and maintain the capacity of critical research institutes in Sub-Saharan Africa to test new insecticides as they move along the product development pathway.
Medicines for Malaria Venture
The Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) is a product development partnership in the field of antimalarial drug research and development. Its mission is to reduce the burden of malaria by discovering, developing, and delivering new, effective, and affordable antimalarial medicines. In partnership with MMV, USAID helped advance Coartem Dispersible—the first child-friendly artemisinin-based combination therapy for malaria, which has since been introduced in over 50 countries. MMV also supported the development of tafenoquine, a single-dose cure for relapsing malaria. Support from USAID also contributed to the progression of three new classes of antimalarial drugs with the potential to be effective against drug-resistant strains of the parasite.
Innovation
USAID streamlines processes, participates in market shaping initiatives, and works collaboratively with other partners to foster meaningful innovation. As a leading buyer of malaria products, USAID actively engages with the global malaria marketplace to ensure access to quality malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment products at affordable prices. Through strategic sourcing and market analysis, USAID contributed to substantial reductions in the price of critical malaria products such as mosquito nets and rapid diagnostic tests.
USAID also identifies market-shaping opportunities to maximize market forces and accelerate access to lifesaving innovations. USAID and PMI collaborate with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation around innovation, including in the Greater Mekong Subregion where drug resistance threatens impressive progress in malaria control and on operational research.
Learn more about the U.S. President's Malaria Initiative
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