Target Malaria

What Target Malaria does

Target Malaria is a not-for-profit research consortium hosted by Imperial College London that develops genetic technologies to reduce populations of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes in sub-Saharan Africa. Its core technology is gene drive, applied through a staged development pathway progressing from sterile male mosquitoes to male bias mosquitoes to full gene drive approaches, with a Sex Distorter Male Drive technology added in 2026. Underlying capabilities include microinjection of gene drive DNA into mosquito embryos, fluorescence screening of transgenic larvae, molecular biology and genome sequencing, mathematical modelling, and field entomology conducted at the Crisanti Lab and partner insectaries.

The consortium serves African governments, health ministries, research institutions (notably the Uganda Virus Research Institute), and affected communities in malaria-endemic regions, working alongside global health bodies such as the RBM Partnership To End Malaria, AUDA-NEPAD, PAMCA, and the Zero Malaria Starts With Me campaign. It operates laboratories and insectaries in the UK, USA, Italy, Uganda, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and previously Mali, with all gene drive studies currently confined to highly controlled facilities in Europe and the United States. Outputs include research publications, educational tools (Target Malaria: The Game, Mozzie Drive card game, Swarm sonification, Mosquito Minutes), and stakeholder engagement programs targeting communities, policymakers, and the general public.

Target Malaria has no commercial revenue model. It is funded primarily by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as a research consortium, with all technologies and findings intended to be shared publicly rather than commercialized. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, emphasizing stakeholder trust-building, regulatory affairs, and public education over traditional sales. Its GTM encompasses World Malaria Day campaigns, science festivals, professional conferences, and direct engagement with African communities and governments. The consortium's value proposition centers on gene drive as a complementary tool to existing malaria prevention methods such as bednets, insecticides, and antimalarial drugs.

Name

Target Malaria

Legal name

Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine

Website

https://targetmalaria.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Target Malaria is a not-for-profit research consortium developing gene drive and other genetic technologies to reduce malaria-transmitting mosquito populations in sub-Saharan Africa, serving African governments, health ministries, and research institutions with publicly shared research outputs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Genetic Biocontrol Research (Malaria Vector Control)

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Research, Clinical Trials & Product Development Partnerships (PDPs) (HLAJAOAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disease-Specific Global Programs (HIV/TB/Malaria/NTDs) (HLAJAKAF), Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN), Communicable Disease Prevention & Control (HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria, NTDs) (BPADAIAA), Disease-Specific Global Initiatives (HIV/TB/Malaria/NTDs) (HLAJAOAE)

Keywords

• Malaria vector control
• Gene drive research
• Genetic biocontrol
• Modified mosquito research
• Public health research

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Funding and Grants: Target Malaria is a not-for-profit research consortium funded primarily by the Gates Foundation and other international donors. The organization does not generate commercial revenue but relies on research grants and philanthropic funding to support its mission of developing genetic technologies for malaria control.
2. Non-Profit Research Consortium Model: As a not-for-profit research consortium, Target Malaria aims to develop and share new, cost-effective and sustainable genetic technologies to modify mosquitoes and reduce malaria transmission. All research outputs are intended to be shared publicly rather than commercialized.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels14 records

Core offering

Target Malaria is a not-for-profit research consortium that develops and shares genetic technologies — including sterile male, male bias, and gene drive mosquitoes — designed to reduce populations of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes in sub-Saharan Africa. Its core deliverable is the staged gene drive development pathway and the underlying laboratory and field science, supported by a parallel set of free educational and engagement tools (an educational video game, a card game, and audio sonification of research data) used to build stakeholder and community understanding.

Product overview

Target Malaria is a not-for-profit research consortium developing genetic technologies to modify mosquitoes and reduce malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. The organization offers educational products including Target Malaria: The Game (an educational video game), Mozzie Drive (a card game), and Swarm (a sonification of research data). Their core research focuses on gene drive technology, including sterile male mosquitoes, male bias mosquitoes, and gene drive approaches targeting female fertility. All current studies remain confined to highly controlled laboratories in Europe and the United States with no gene drive mosquitoes present in Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Target Malaria: The Game A free educational video game that simulates the experience of a Target Malaria lab researcher developing genetically modified mosquitoes, covering research into mosquitoes and malaria, design of gene drive mosquitoes, rearing of mosquito colonies, and laboratory experiments including microinjection and fluorescence screening. Built in Unreal Engine and intended for public engagement, school audiences, and science festival visitors in English- and French-speaking markets.
• Mozzie Drive A free physical card game designed to educate players about mosquito genetics and gene drive technology in an engaging, interactive format. Distributed via the Target Malaria website and at in-person events.
• Swarm An audio sonification of the 2016 cage trials conducted by Imperial College London, allowing users to experience Target Malaria's scientific data on gene drive mosquito experiments through sound.
• Gene Drive Technology Research Program Not-for-profit research consortium program delivering a staged development pathway of genetic biocontrol technologies for malaria vector control — including sterile male mosquitoes, male bias mosquitoes, and gene drive mosquitoes (male bias and female fertility, plus the 2026 Sex Distorter Male Drive extension). All current studies remain confined to highly controlled laboratories in Europe and the United States, with outputs intended to be shared with public health authorities and research partners for eventual deployment in sub-Saharan Africa.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gene drive technology in lab trials has shown potential for mosquito population wipeout in a few generations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Liverpool School of Tropical MedicinemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine joined the Target Malaria Consortium in 2026, expanding the consortium's research capabilities and expertise in tropical disease research.
• 10,000 Black Interns FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Target Malaria has worked with 10,000 Black Interns since 2023 to offer internship opportunities. Program graduates include Lord Cobbinah, Chloe Cole, Stella Attah, Aminah Alhamdu, Zainab Shire, Zion Raeburn, and Lorraine Gibson.
• Imperial College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImperial College London hosts the Crisanti Lab and serves as the data controller for Target Malaria. Core research including gene drive development, microinjection techniques, and mathematical modelling is conducted at Imperial facilities.
• RBM Partnership To End MalariamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTarget Malaria is a member of RBM Partnership To End Malaria, participating in Vector Control Working Group meetings and collaborating on global malaria elimination efforts.
• AUDA-NEPADmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAUDA-NEPAD hosts strategic workshops on innovative technologies against malaria and visited Target Malaria Uganda at UVRI. They launched the second edition of the APET report on gene drives for malaria control and elimination.
• Malaria ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMalaria Consortium visited Target Malaria at Imperial College London, indicating collaboration and knowledge sharing between organizations working on malaria control.
• Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTarget Malaria Uganda operates in partnership with UVRI. UVRI celebrated its 90th anniversary with Target Malaria participating in the launch event. UVRI leads in mosquito research and hosts Target Malaria's community advisory board.
• Zero Malaria Starts With Me campaignmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTarget Malaria is a partner in the Zero Malaria Starts With Me campaign, contributing to pan-African efforts to end malaria.
• Uganda Biotechnology and Biosafety Consortium (UBBC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTarget Malaria Uganda strengthened collaboration with UBBC for stakeholder engagement on gene drive research.
• Pan-African Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTarget Malaria participates in PAMCA conferences and Ghana hosted the inaugural PAMCA-Ghana Conference in Accra championing vector control efforts.
• CDC FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTarget Malaria has team members working at the CDC Foundation for the project, facilitating US-based collaboration.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• PATH: PATH is a large global health non-profit that develops and delivers a wide portfolio of health technologies, including malaria and vector control programs (e.g., PATH Malaria Control). Comparable to Target Malaria as a non-profit R&D partner, with similar donor base and stakeholder engagement, but operating at a broader portfolio and larger scale.
• Wellcome Trust: Wellcome is a major global health philanthropic funder supporting malaria and vector control research. Comparable to Target Malaria as a key potential funder and ecosystem actor shaping the funding landscape for malaria R&D, though operating as a grantmaker rather than a research consortium.

Direct peers

• Wolbaki Biotech: Wolbaki develops Wolbachia-based mosquito biocontrol technologies targeting Aedes and Anopheles. It is comparable to Target Malaria as a developer of novel genetic/microbiome-based vector control, offering a parallel non-insecticide pathway for suppressing malaria-transmitting mosquitoes.
• Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC): IVCC is a Product Development Partnership that develops and delivers new insecticides and vector control tools for malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. Like Target Malaria, it is a Gates-funded, partnership-based R&D organization working on complementary tools to address the limitations of current vector control.
• Imperial College London Crisanti Lab: The Crisanti Lab at Imperial College London is the technical engine behind Target Malaria's gene drive R&D, including microinjection, fluorescence screening, and mathematical modelling. It is comparable as the underlying research group generating Target Malaria's core IP and capabilities.
• Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV): MMV is a leading Product Development Partnership focused on discovering, developing, and delivering new antimalarial drugs. It is structurally comparable to Target Malaria as a malaria-focused PDP, sharing funder relationships (incl. Gates Foundation), consortium model, and mission to complement existing malaria tools with new interventions.
• Oxitec: Oxitec develops genetically modified mosquitoes for vector control, including Oxitec Friendly™ Aedes and Anopheles mosquito platforms. It is the closest direct peer to Target Malaria on the technology side, with field deployments in multiple countries; key difference is Oxitec's commercial model and Aedes focus versus Target Malaria's non-profit, Africa-focused Anopheles/gene drive work.
• World Mosquito Program (Monash University): The World Mosquito Program develops and deploys Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes to suppress dengue, Zika, and other mosquito-borne diseases. Like Target Malaria, it is a non-profit/affiliated research organization advancing genetic/microbiome vector control at scale, providing a useful benchmark on community engagement and regulatory pathways.

Emerging players

• GBIRd (Genetic Biocontrol of Invasive Rodents): GBIRd is a research partnership evaluating gene drive technology for controlling invasive rodent populations, with similar regulatory, ethical, and stakeholder engagement challenges as Target Malaria. Comparable as a peer in the broader genetic biocontrol field facing analogous community, regulatory, and funding hurdles.

Regional players

• Africa CDC: Africa CDC is the African Union's continental public health agency, coordinating disease control including malaria. It is comparable to Target Malaria as a key African institution that sets the policy and regulatory environment for malaria and emerging health technologies on the continent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TargetMalaria
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TargetMalaria
• Facebookfacebook.com/TargetMalariaGlobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/target-malaria

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Target Malaria