https://www.engineeringnews.co.za
Africa|Health|Innovation|Manufacturing|Manufacturing
Africa|Health|Innovation|Manufacturing|Manufacturing
africa|health|innovation|manufacturing|manufacturing-industry-term

Biovac/Pfizer vaccine partnership will boost mRNA hub – Nzimande

Picture of Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande

Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande

23rd July 2021

By: Sane Dhlamini

Creamer Media Senior Contributing Editor and Researcher

     

Font size: - +

Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande has congratulated the Biovac Institute for its partnership with Pfizer and its German vaccine partner BioNTech which will see the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine being manufactured in South Africa for distribution within the African Union.

Biovac will be the first company in Africa to produce a Messenger RNA-based (mRNA-based) vaccine.

The partnership will begin with filling doses and shipping them, with the intent to move towards manufacturing the pharmaceutical ingredients to develop vaccines from scratch.

Nzimande said the partnership will also add a much-needed boost to the mRNA tech transfer hub, which was launched in South Africa last month by the World Health Organization.

Nzimande’s department holds a 47.5% shareholding in Biovac.

He said he was pleased that Pfizer had shown confidence in the department’s vision and commitment.

“Our primary goal has always been, through Biovac, to ensure that South Africa and Africa become active participants in the global vaccine manufacturing value chain,” he added.

He hopes the partnership will help in responding to the current pandemic and support other endeavours to respond to future pandemics.

“We have just concluded another Tech Transfer for Prevnar 13 vaccine with Pfizer. Also, our Pre-clinical Drugs Development Platform at  the University of North-West has also benefited from donation of knockout mice a few years back. It is therefore safe to say that the relationship with Pfizer goes a long way,” emphasised Nzimande.

 

Edited by Sashnee Moodley
Senior Deputy Editor Polity and Multimedia

Comments

Showroom

Hanna Instruments Image
Hanna Instruments (Pty) Ltd

We supply customers with practical affordable solutions for their testing needs. Our products include benchtop, portable, in-line process control...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Actom image
Actom

Your one-stop global energy-solution partner

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.096 0.15s - 182pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now