Bill Gates has pledged $258.3 million for research and development to combat malaria, including funding for a test of the world's first vaccine against the mosquito-borne disease.

Reuters

Malaria kills 2,000 African children every day.

The largest of the grants, $107.6 million, will go to a vaccine initiative with GlaxoSmithKline Plc., on late-stage clinical trials of its experimental vaccine, Mosquirix.

Another $100 million will fund the development of several promising new drugs. A remaining $50.7 million will pay for research to fast-track development of improved insecticides and other mosquito control methods.