ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- Drug developer Novavax Inc. said Monday that it will work with the government of India to develop a new malaria vaccine.

Novavax said it will work with the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and CPL Biologicals. India's Department of Biotechnology will fund the project, which will be managed by the not-for-profit Malaria Vaccine Development Program, based in New Delhi. The company said around 210 million cases of malaria are diagnosed every year and 650,000 people die of the disease.

Novavax, based in Rockville, Md., develops vaccines that are genetically engineered virus-like particles. The particles resemble a virus but do not have the genetic material a virus needs to reproduce itself. The company is conducting clinical trials of vaccines for seasonal and pandemic influenza and for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which can cause life-threatening respiratory infections in infants.

CPL Biologicals is a joint venture of Novavax and privately held Cadila Pharmaceuticals, based in Ahmedabad, India.

Shares of Novavax lost 3 cents to $2.04 in afternoon trading.

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Novavax will help develop new malaria vaccine