Promoting vaccine development and production in South Africa

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The module objective is to strengthen the vaccine value chain in South Africa and thereby enable the local development of APIs for vaccine production (also beyond Covid-19 vaccines). This is done by procuring equipment for the operation of pilot plants for the production of vaccines for clinical trials, modernizing laboratory and research facilities for vaccine development and strengthening the national regulatory authority, including its reference laboratory for the certification of new medical products. Access to locally manufactured APIs and their production for clinical trials is thus made possible. This reduces South Africa's dependence on imports, which, as in the rest of Africa, is very high. By strengthening the national regulatory authority, vaccines can be certified in accordance with WHO, which in turn enables the export of locally manufactured products and their acceptance by GAVI. The project can thus indirectly contribute to reducing the burden of disease on the population on the African continent and in developing countries. The beneficiary of the grant is the Republic of South Africa, represented by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI). The project sponsor of the FC measure is the South African Medical Research Council (MRC).