Adrian Hill’s highly effective vaccine exceeded the World Health Organization’s protection targets of 75pc to 80pc in clinical trials.

Ireland’s Adrian Hill has received the European Patent Office’s European Inventor Award 2026 in the research category for his work developing the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine.

The highly effective vaccine achieved roughly 80pc protection in clinical trials, exceeding even World Health Organization (WHO) targets of 75pc. 

Designed for large-scale deployment in lower-income countries, the awarding body noted, the vaccine created by Hill and his team presents more of the malaria-specific protein regions needed to trigger a strong immune response, which offers significantly more protection against the disease than traditional vaccines. 

It costs less than €3 to make per dose and can remain stable for up to two years under standard refrigeration conditions, helping make vaccination programmes more accessible in regions where malaria remains endemic, according to the European Patent Office. 

Commenting on the win, Hill said, “I am delighted to accept this prestigious award on behalf of the many hundreds of people who have contributed to the discovery, development and licensure of our malaria vaccine over the past 12 years.”

Hill’s commitment to malaria research began in Gambia in 1988 when he witnessed the impact the illness can have, particularly on young children. According to the WHO, in 2024 there were 282m cases of malaria causing roughly 610,000 deaths globally. Three-quarters of those reported deaths were in Africa-based children under five. 

The project brought together partners including the University of Oxford, the Serum Institute of India, Novavax, and leading African research centres in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali and Tanzania. 

The awards show was held in Berlin; other inventors competing with Hill included Portuguese research finalist Paula Videira and her team, who were nominated for a high-precision antibody that distinguishes cancer cells from healthy tissue.

Finnish physicist Mikko Möttönen was considered for his work developing an ultrasensitive cryogenic microwave sensor that aims to improve quantum computing hardware.

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