At a series of events in late September and early October, Malaria No More UK brought together leading scientists, innovators and policymakers to celebrate the work and role of science and innovation in the global fight against malaria.

First, IVCC attended a networking reception at this year’s Conservative Party Conference (Manchester, 1st to 4th October 2023). During the event, IVCC engaged in conversations with Andrew Mitchell (MP), Minister of State for Development and Africa, and Astrid Bonfield, CEO of Malaria No More UK. IVCC emphasized the critical importance of vector control innovation and product development partnerships. These collaborations are essential in addressing the emerging threat of insecticide resistance, which is reducing the efficacy of established tools.

The following week, IVCC CEO Justin MacBeath participated in roundtable event discussion the future of global health. Against the backdrop of the Labour Party Conference (Liverpool, 8^th to 11^th October) Malaria No More UK convened Labour MPs, Labour candidates, academics, scientists, and industry representatives. Justin highlighted the crucial role of Product Development Partnerships in creating new vector control tools and ensuring fair access for vulnerable populations.

It was followed by Global Health Networking Reception, hosted by STOPAIDS and Malaria No More UK. Virendra Sharma (MP) opened the event, alongside Astrid Bonfield who showcased the Finish the Job campaign: urging decision makers to commit to ending malaria in our lifetimes. Anyika Onoura, Team BG World & Olympic medallist, shared her experience of falling ill with malaria ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics and emphasized the need for ongoing investment to end malaria.

IVCC CEO, Justin MacBeath at the Malaria No More UK Labour Party Conference breakfast roundtable. Image credit: Malaria No More UK.

From left to right: Catherine West (MP), Anyika Onoura and Virendra Sharma (MP) at the Global Health Networking Reception. Image credit: Malaria No More UK.

Progress against malaria continues to stall, according to the 2023 World Malaria Report, published today by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Despite the efforts of malaria-endemic countries and their partners, the world is worse off now than before the COVID pandemic both in terms of number of malaria cases and deaths.

The combination of limited resources, challenges such as drug and insecticide resistance, socioeconomic constraints, humanitarian crises, and climate-driven extreme weather events creates a challenging landscape for malaria elimination. If current trajectories continue, the goal of reducing malaria cases to 6.0 cases per 1000 population by 2030 will be missed by 89%.

The WHO report emphasises the importance of developing more efficacious tools to accelerate progress toward the global malaria targets. Interrupting the transmission cycle to reduce the spread of malaria is key to that aim.

At IVCC, in partnership with our stakeholders, we are committed to delivering a sustainable toolbox of vector control solutions that address the evolving challenges in vector control and malaria elimination.

Insecticide-treated nets continue to be the primary vector control tool used in most endemic countries. Over 254 million nets were distributed in 2022, up by 34 million compared to 2021.

A longstanding collaboration between BASF and IVCC to deliver a next generation active ingredient treated net formulation has been an important step in the fight against insecticide resistant mosquitoes.

Interceptor® G2, combines a pyrethroid (alphacypermethrin) with a new-to-public-health active ingredient, a pyrrole (chlorfenapyr), which represents a novel mode of action in vector control. In March 2023, the WHO strongly recommended the deployment of such nets in areas where mosquitoes have become resistant to pyrethroids.

This milestone is testament to the importance of product development partnerships to deliver high-impact, cost-effective prevention tools, adapted to the needs of endemic countries.

Despite the success of interventions such as the Interceptor® G2, global investment in overall malaria research and product development dropped by US$ 603 million in 2022 – its lowest recorded level in the past 15 years, and down by over 10% compared with 2021.

Climate change is also having a dramatic impact on malaria transmission and burden. The effects are seen in the gradual extension of the transmission range and seasonality of malaria, and an increase in the number of extreme weather events.

IVCC recognises the need for innovative tools to reach the most vulnerable populations especially in settings where ITNs and traditional indoor residual spraying (IRS) for fixed structures might not be practical.

We are working with partners to accelerate the availability of solutions that address these challenges, such as new tools which address outdoor biting or outdoor transmission.

The funding gap between the amount invested in malaria control and elimination continues to widen. With a shortfall of UD$ 3.7 billion in 2022, funding availability to support innovation, roll out of existing tools and the cost of procurement and delivery is increasingly uncertain.

This scenario, coupled with a global economy seeing ever-increasing costs for raw materials and logistics, means IVCC remains committed to exploring innovative strategies to expand the availability of cost-effective life-saving vector control tools. IVCC recognises the need for greater emphasis and recognition of country input into this ambition and makes sure that the considerations of malaria programmes are incorporated in all aspects of product development and distribution.

IVCC believes that it is only through partnerships, which take into account local needs, that vector control implementation can be expanded beyond the scope of donor-supported programmes and lead to the establishment of sustainable capacity.

The World Malaria Report, published annually, provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of trends in malaria control and elimination across the globe. This year’s report includes, for the first time, a dedicated chapter focused on the intersection between climate change and malaria.

Find out more in this year’s World Malaria Report.

To mark World Malaria Day 2023, Malaria No More UK, Conservative Home and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), brought together scientists, MPs, Peers, supporters, and campaigners to highlight the importance of working together to end malaria.

IVCC attended an evening reception, hosted by Baroness Liz Sugg at the House of Lords. During the event, Louise Marston, an early career researcher affiliated with Target Malaria, highlighted the importance of innovation, along with research and development to end malaria. Peter Sands, Executive Director of The Global Fund, spoke about the growing challenges facing malaria eradication: including climate change and conflict. He stressed the importance of continued commitment to accelerate the progress toward zero malaria. To close, attendees heard from Olympic medallist and malaria survivor, Anyika Onuora, who described her experience of falling ill with malaria ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics and the importance of continued investment to end malaria.

You can read more about the event and its participants in this Twitter thread by APPG on Malaria and NTDs.

Earlier in the day, IVCC CEO, Justin McBeath joined Andrew Mitchell (MP), Minister of State for Development and Africa for the United Kingdom, at a roundtable event, hosted by Malaria No More UK and Conservative Home.

The event raised the profile of Product Development Partnerships (PDPs) and their critical role in driving public-private partnerships to develop new health products for malaria elimination. David Reddy, CEO of Medicines of Malaria Venture (MMV) and Fiona Smith-Laittan, VP Global Health at GSK, also attended the event, along with United Kingdom government representatives such as James Sunderland MP, member of the APPG on Malaria and NTDs and Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Home Secretary and Baroness Liz Sugg.

Image: Members of UK Parliament and House of Lords stand with (L to R), Baroness Lizz Sugg, Anyika Onuora, Louise Marston and Peter Sands. Credit: Malaria No More UK / Freya Turner.

IVCC is delighted to take part in the upcoming Annual Meeting of the Vector Control Working Group (VCWG) in Accra, Ghana, from 6^th to 8^th February.

To find out about the work of IVCC, its partnerships and its pipeline of innovative vector control solutions, visit the IVCC booth throughout the conference.

The IVCC-led New Nets Project (NNP) pilots new tools to strengthen the insecticide-treated net (ITN) market. At VCWG, there is a dedicated NNP side event where project partners* will present the results from the NNP pilot evaluations (Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Rwanda) and discuss the comparative impact and cost-effectiveness of dual-AI ITNs in various malaria-endemic settings. The event will feature a concluding panel discussion where presenters and additional NNP partners will reflect on how things have changed since the start of the NNP (e.g., net market, evidence base, WHO PQ and guidance, and modelling projections), what the legacy of the NNP will be for future ITN campaigns and data collection, and where the larger malaria and vector control communities go from here.

New Nets Project Results and Future Considerations (8^th February, 11:00 to 12:30 GMT, Ballroom 1 &2). For a full event description, agenda and list of speakers, download the detailed agenda for the side event. Lunch will be available.

There are other opportunities to hear about the NNP project and dual AI nets throughout VCWG:

Enhancing the Impact of Core Interventions, Monday 6^th February

Durability testing of the bioefficacy of dual active ingredient ITNs, durability methods, and data from dual AI ITN monitoring (presented by Corine Ngufor, CREC, and Jackline Martin, KCMU/NIMR, 14:10 to 14:40, Session 1).

Physical and insecticidal durability of dual active ingredient and PBO ITNs: Results from 24-month surveys (presented by Medard Rukaari, UMU/ NMCP Uganda, 15:15 to 15:25, Session 2).

Sub-lethal exposure to chlorfenapyr kills Plasmodium parasites in surviving insecticide-resistant Anopheles mosquitoes (presented by Pie Muller, Swiss TPH, 17:18 to 17:26, Task Team 2, Session 4)

Estimating the malaria prevention impact of dual active ingredient insecticide-treated nets: Results from the New Nets Project pilot evaluations (presented by Joe Wagman, PATH, 17:26 to 17:39, Task Team 2, Session 4).

Posters:

P014: Impact of next-generation dual-active ingredient long-lasting insecticidal net deployment in Tanzania on insecticide resistance in Anopheles funestus s.l. and Anopheles gambiae s.l. (Louisa Messenger, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA)

As well as the focus onNNP, there are other of opportunities to catch up with the work of the wider IVCC portfolio, including work on VECTRON™ T500, currently under assessment by WHO-PQT/VCP:

Oral Presentations:

Enhancing the Impact of Core Interventions, Monday 6^th February

Task Team 2: Addressing biological threats; new insecticides for vector control (for IRS and ITNs)

Non-inferiority experimental hut and community (Phase III) cluster randomized indoor residual spraying evaluation trials of Vectron™ T500 against malaria vectors in Tanzania (presented by Njelembo Mbewe, LSHTM / KCMUCo, and Patrik Tungu, NIMR, Session 4, 17:05  to 17:18)

Expanding the Vector Control Toolbox, Tuesday 7^th February

Task Team 2: Innovations in vector control and vector surveillance

Closing the Gap (presented by Jason Richardson, IVCC, Session 1, 08:05 to 08:20)

Task Team 3: Anthropology and human centred design (interface between vector control and human behaviour)

Over-spraying in IRS trials: a real or imagined problem for IRS assessment? (presented by Mark Rowland, LSHTM, 09:45 to 09:55).

Posters:

P025: Crystalline insecticides and their presentation in VC products (Svetlana Ryazanskaya, IVCC).

Find out more about 18th VCWG annual meeting online, including the full conference programme, the event’s sponsors, and exhibitors.

N.B. all times shown are given in GMT, the local time zone in Accra.

*NNP implementation partners are: The Alliance for Malaria Prevention, Imperial College London, LSTM, LSTMH, PATH, PSI and Tulane University. NNP Industry partners are: BASF and DCT (Disease Control Technologies). NNP Funding partners are: Unitaid and The Global Fund. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, along with USAID and MedAccess are supporting partners. Image credit: PSI, Mali.

IVCC was privileged to play its part in the Kigali Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases Summit that took place on the fringes of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in June.

Governments, the private sector, and philanthropists pledged to help accelerate the global fight to beat malaria and neglected tropical diseases with commitments totalling more than $4 billion.

These $4 billion commitments come at a time when malaria is rising, driven in part by the growing threat of insecticide resistance which is inhibiting the efficacy of bet nets which, for so long have proven to be the most effective intervention tool, helping to halve malaria deaths since the turn of the century.

New insecticides for bed nets are urgently needed to support best practice insecticide resistance management which will prolong the efficacy of these lifesaving interventions.  In addition, new vector control tools are required to also address the growing threat of outdoor biting.

With the support of philanthropic and government funders and industry partners, IVCC is leading the way in helping to develop and bring to market these innovative vector control tools.

The Summit, hosted by the Rwandan Government, featured keynote speeches from HRH Prince of Wales, His Excellency President Kagame, Melinda French Gates, and World Health Organisation’s Director General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus.