A new review of current vaccine manufacturing capacities within Africa highlights priority vaccines needs, and describes opportunities and challenges of advancing local manufacturing capacities within Africa.
Of 11 manufacturers in Africa, ten have operational formulation/fill/finish capacities though capacities to produce active vaccine components locally are very limited and leveraging of vaccine technology platforms such as live-attenuated virus, inactivated virus, and mRNA remains low. South Africa and Senegal are the only countries with end-to-end manufacturing capacities. Considering the market dynamics novel African manufacturers would adopt a staged approach to mitigate investment risk by prioritizing vaccine projects of low complexity but highly relevant for the African market. Thus, local manufacturers would prioritize the manufacture of approved vaccine antigens such as for measles-rubella, yellow fever, cholera, rotavirus, and meningococcal for a sustainable business model.
Enablers identified for Africa’s vaccine manufacturing initiatives include: a preferential procurement of African-made vaccines for sustainable and reliable volumes through GAVI and UNICEF; deal preparation to target investments avoiding overproduction; technology transfers; regulatory systems strengthening; R&D capacities and infrastructure. African vaccine manufacturers and all stakeholders should focus on taking forward the portfolio of activities required for continental vaccine manufacturing rather than only focus on efforts that benefit a particular manufacturer or country. Procurement commitments from African governments for African-made vaccines are fundamental to create a market for these products and build a long-term sustainable vaccine business.
Optimism for advancing vaccine manufacturing in Africa has come from the Gavi announcement in December 2023 for the establishment of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, a financing mechanism of USD 1 billion aimed at creating a sustainable vaccine manufacturing industry in Africa. However, many challenges need to be overcome including that of having secure and sustainable funding.
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