The Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Nomalungelo Gina, has welcomed the opening of a new product development laboratory at Biovac in Cape Town today, set to expand South Africa’s capacity to develop vaccines from start to finish.
Vaccines in South Africa are finished and filled using active ingredients from abroad. With this laboratory, the country will be able to develop the medicine from start to finish, strengthening Biovac’s world-class vaccine product development capabilities, enabling it to produce vaccines for Africa from the early stages of product development to drug substance and drug product manufacturing to the end product. It will further aid in response to the continent’s high disease burden with locally driven solutions.
This evolution into vaccine product development reflects South Africa’s growing vaccine innovation and manufacturing capacity, strengthened by public-private collaboration. The company currently develops, formulates, fills, finishes, and distributes vaccines used in South Africa’s childhood vaccine programme.
Biovac, a leading bio-pharmaceutical company is the result of a partnership formed with the South African government in 2003 to establish local vaccine manufacturing capability for the provision of vaccines for national health management and security.
“Today marks an historic milestone for South Africa, as the opening of Biovac’s new Product Development Laboratory brings us closer to our vision of achieving full, end-to-end vaccine manufacturing capability on the African continent, said Dr Gina.
She added that this high-tech facility, equipped with advanced mRNA technology and state-of-the-art research capacity, will empower scientists to tackle the most prevalent diseases in Africa, ensuring that homegrown innovation addresses the health needs of the citizens.
“The Government of South Africa, together with partners like the Gates Foundation and the Industrial Development Corporation, remains steadfast in supporting initiatives that build robust local pharmaceutical manufacturing and enhance our preparedness for future health emergencies,” the Deputy Minister said.
Dr Gina added that the laboratory was not just a monument to technological advancement, but a beacon of hope for all Africans, a demonstration of what is possible when vision, investment and scientific excellence come together. Let us celebrate this step forward, confident that today’s investment in science will yield tomorrow’s health and economic security for our country and continent.”
At inception, Biovac focused on distributing imported childhood vaccines in partnership with South Africa’s government, in support of their Expanded Programme for Immunisation. It later progressed to collaborating with multinational companies to fill and finish vaccines and is now further advancing their vaccine development capability across more technology platforms including mRNA, cell culture and the already well-established bacterial technology platforms.
The new laboratory has been realised through the support of the Gates Foundation. This will assist Biovac, South Africa, and the African continent, to be able to develop its own vaccines across multiple platforms and be better able to respond to future pandemics or outbreaks using advanced technology and state-of-the-art equipment.
The laboratory will allow multiple products to be developed simultaneously and foster innovation and intellectual property creation for vaccines targeting diseases prevalent in Africa. The laboratory includes infrastructure for mRNA drug substance development, screening, evaluation, and manufacturing. It houses a specialised suite to formulate nanoparticles that safely encapsulate and protect mRNA, along with dedicated areas for bacterial and cell culture, cell bank storage and handling of sensitive medical materials.
The African Union Commission and Africa CDC committed in 2022 to ensuring that 60% of vaccines used on the continent are manufactured in Africa by 2040. Currently, only about 1% are produced locally; a gap this facility seeks to help close.
Biovac CEO, Dr Morena Makhoana said, “The establishment of our new product development laboratory is a major milestone for Biovac and for African vaccines and vaccine innovation. It gives us the capability to develop and test next-generation vaccines using the most advanced technology available, ensuring that Africa is not left behind in responding to current and future vaccine-preventable diseases.”
Gates Foundation CEO, Mark Suzman, said “Biovac's new product development laboratory represents a leap forward for vaccine innovation and manufacturing in Africa. For millions of people across the continent, it brings the promise of faster, more reliable access to lifesaving vaccines, developed and produced in Africa, for Africa.
The Gates Foundation is proud to support this investment in local talent and infrastructure that strengthens Africa's scientific and manufacturing capacity, promoting health equity and security across the continent”.
Enquiries:
Veronica Mohapeloa
Cell: 083 400 5750
E-mail: veronica.mohapeloa@dsti.gov.za
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