Oxford and Recipharm Expand Malaria Vaccine Partnership, Advancing Clinical Trials

The University of Oxford and Swedish contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Recipharm have announced an expansion of their long-standing collaboration in malaria vaccine development. This partnership, which began in 2016, has now been broadened to encompass additional manufacturing responsibilities for two promising blood-stage malaria vaccine candidates currently undergoing phase 1/2 clinical trials.

Enhanced Manufacturing Roles for Recipharm

Recipharm's involvement in the production of Oxford's R78C vaccine candidate has been significantly expanded. The CDMO, which has previously handled both drug substance and drug product manufacturing for R78C, will now take on fill-finish services as well. This extension of Recipharm's role comes in response to the increased demand for vials needed to support ongoing clinical trials.

In a notable shift, Recipharm will also assume full manufacturing responsibility for the RH5.1 vaccine candidate. This comprehensive role, previously held by another contract manufacturer, will see Recipharm overseeing all aspects of production for RH5.1.

Greg Behar, CEO of Recipharm, emphasized the company's capabilities, stating, "Our ability to deliver drug substance and drug product for larger scales under GMP conditions makes us a strong partner for accelerating vaccine candidates from lab to clinic."

Advancing Blood-Stage Malaria Vaccines

The expanded partnership focuses on blood-stage malaria vaccines, which operate by stimulating the immune system to reduce the number of parasites in the blood, thereby decreasing the severity of the disease. This approach represents a crucial avenue in the fight against malaria, a disease that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), affected 249 million people worldwide in 2022, resulting in 608,000 deaths.

Oxford has established itself as a leader in malaria vaccine development. In 2023, the university's R21/Matrix-M vaccine became only the second malaria vaccine to receive WHO endorsement for use in children, following GSK's Mosquirix.

Recipharm's Strategic Moves in a Changing CDMO Landscape

This expanded collaboration comes at a time of significant change for Recipharm. The company experienced a 30% revenue surge in 2022, largely attributed to its partnership with Moderna for COVID-19 vaccine production. However, recent years have seen Recipharm engage in a series of strategic divestments, most notably in 2024 when it sold seven manufacturing and development facilities to U.S. private equity firm Blue Wolf Capital.

As the pharmaceutical industry continues to evolve, partnerships like the one between Oxford and Recipharm highlight the critical role of collaboration in advancing potentially life-saving vaccines. With malaria remaining a significant global health challenge, particularly in Africa where children under five accounted for 76% of malaria fatalities in 2022, the development of effective vaccines remains a paramount goal for researchers and manufacturers alike.