The mRNA technology transfer program moves to the next stage of development.

• Inauguration of the mRNA Technology Center in Afrigen, South Africa.
• Partners will meet in Cape Town to discuss the next phase of mRNA vaccine development and knowledge sharing.

More than 200 international participants from the mRNA Technology Transfer Program came face-to-face for the first time this week in Cape Town. WHO Director-General, Dr. Theodore Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and Dr. Joe Fahla, Minister of Health and Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Ibrahim Patel of South Africa, were joined by senior officials from donor countries. The Special Session reviewed progress since the launch of the WHO and Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) in June 2021.

“I am delighted to be in Cape Town with our partners to support a sustainable model of mRNA technology transfer to ensure equitable access to vaccines and other life-saving health products for low- and middle-income countries,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Theodore Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Hebrew. “I am extremely proud of the accomplishments of everyone involved in this project. In less than two years of working together, we have shown that we can succeed together.”

Participants of the meeting included biomanufacturing partners, key experts, industry, civil society representatives and funders from 15 countries in the program. During the five-day event, participants will share progress and discuss issues such as intellectual property issues and regulatory issues for the program’s sustainability, as well as the science of mRNA technologies and key applications in other disease areas relevant to LMICs. HIV and tuberculosis.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the huge inequity in access to health products, especially vaccines. In the year As of March 2023, three years after WHO declared COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of Global Concern (PHEIC), 69.7 percent of the world’s population had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine. In particular, this rate is still below 30 percent in low-income countries. Empower local workforce through customized and inclusive training and expert support. What is unique about the mRNA technology transfer model is that it is a versatile process that allows the sharing of technologies to many recipients, which can quickly reach those who need help with local and regional production.

South Africa’s Minister of Health, Dr. Fahla, said, “What we see here today is a historic moment in a program aimed at empowering LMICs through a global network of collaborations. I am very happy to see the progress that has been made in such a relatively short period of time and I welcome the support from different countries – countries like South Africa that have strong biotech capacity and are willing to work, learn and share together,” he said.

Minister of Higher Education and Science, Blade Nzimande, said, “Our vision is for the mRNA Technology Transfer Center beyond Covid-19. The capabilities we are building are looking to empower vaccines to fight other future pandemics that may use the same mRNA technology platform. It is a vision that focuses on diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS in our environment.

Dr. Tedros and Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, MPP Director-General Charles Gore and MPP. Honorable Ministers Attending Afrigan Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Prof. Petro Terbanche, CEO of Afrigen, said: “The entire Afrigen team is delighted to have reached this milestone with the completion of the MRNA technology platform. This platform is located in an end-to-end mRNA vaccine development and production facility where the mRNA Hub Covid 19 vaccine candidate, Afrivac 2121, is currently in advanced stages. Over the past 18 months, Afrigen has made incredible changes through this program with the support of an active network of partners and mentors. We have developed our capabilities and capacity to meet the highest quality standards for mRNA vaccine development, serving the goal of building sustainable capacity in LMICs to produce mRNA vaccines.

Afrigen has successfully established a laboratory-scale manufacturing process for the Covid-19 vaccine and is currently scaling up that process to a level suitable for production of vaccine kits for use in Phase I/2 clinical trials to GMP standards. In a parallel process, Afrigen will continue to provide training and technology transfer to network partners.

The funders play a vital role in supporting the program with a total of US$ 117 million and France is the first for the MRN technology transfer project. The meeting was attended by representatives of the European Commission, Belgium, Germany, as well as Norway, Canada, the African Union, South Africa and the Elma Foundation.

Caroline Delaney, Canada’s Director General of Global Affairs for Southern and Eastern Africa, said: “We are pleased to announce Canada’s continued support of the mRNA Technology Transfer Program by making an additional contribution of CAD 15 million at the meeting. This brings Canada’s total contribution to the program to 45 million Canadian dollars. These funds support the Hub’s work in South Africa as well as network partners around the world. We strongly believe in the importance of capacity building at local and regional levels.

The Deputy Director General of the European Commission, Mr. Martin Sichel said. “The EC has already contributed €40 million to the mRNA Technology Transfer Center and has recently signed another €15.5 million grant with the EBB to streamline vaccine production capacity. This is part of the overall investment in the EU Global Gateway strategy, which has raised more than €1 billion in the Group Europe Health Products Initiative. Currently, it is important to address potential regulatory and demand bottlenecks, not only to produce high-quality vaccines in all regions of the world, but also to ensure rapid and equitable access to vaccines.

1. https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations