CEPI And Institut Pasteur De Dakar Announce 10-year Partnership To Boost Manufacturing Of Affordable Vaccines For The Global South
CEPI And Institut Pasteur De Dakar Announce 10-year Partnership To Boost Manufacturing Of Affordable Vaccines For The Global South. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) announced a partnership that will advance equitable access to vaccines in Africa and contribute to the African Union’s goal of increasing African manufacturers’ share of vaccine supply to the continent to 60% by 2040. The collaboration will boost the manufacturing of affordable vaccines at IPD’s facilities in Dakar, and reserve capacity to produce vaccines specifically for Global South countries during future outbreaks and pandemics to combat the kind of inequity that characterised the response to COVID-19.
CEPI is creating a new network of vaccine manufacturers in Global South countries to substantially increase the world’s capacity and capability to produce vaccines against emerging outbreaks and pandemic threats. IPD becomes part of this network, having manufactured WHO prequalified yellow fever vaccines for 80 years, and with the ambition to become a regional manufacturing hub making vaccines in Africa, for Africa, through Project MADIBA[1]. IPD will initially receive up to US$15 million in grant funding over three years, with the option to extend the partnership’s scope and funding to a total of up to US$50 million over 10 years. CEPI’s investment will complement that of other major funders for MADIBA, including the European Union, European Investment Bank, the Agence Française de Développement, the Islamic Development Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the Government of Germany and the Government of Sénégal.
The first phase of the partnership will support the development and sustainability of IPD’s manufacturing facilities for routine and outbreak vaccinations across multiple vaccine technologies and prepare them to begin supplying vaccines to Global South countries within 100 days of a new pathogen being identified. This timing is key to stopping future emerging disease outbreaks from becoming pandemics. Known as the 100 Days Mission, the goal is supported by the leaders of the G7 and G20 and industry executives and is at the heart of CEPI’s plan to end pandemics. The partnership will enhance and equip the Drug Substance manufacturing capability at IPD to produce outbreak vaccines, launch a bioprocessing laboratory to accelerate vaccine production and reduce costs, invest in specialist workforce training and development, and support the development of IPD’s quality management system.
“Our partnership with Institut Pasteur de Dakar aims to support agile and resilient manufacturing capacity and capability that is ready and able to respond to the threat of new disease outbreaks. IPD will be a crucial partner in our global manufacturing network, guaranteeing CEPI-backed vaccine developers rapid access to world-class manufacturing capacity and expertise when faced with future outbreaks. Historically, a handful of countries and regions have dominated access to global vaccine supply. This needs to change if the world is to stand a chance of mounting rapid, equitable responses to future outbreak and pandemic threats. Key to achieving this mission will be the establishment of a global network of vaccine manufacturers, specifically in underserved Global South regions where many of the people most vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks live.” said Dr. Richard Hatchett, Chief Executive Officer, CEPI.
“The partnership between Institut Pasteur de Dakar and CEPI will build on the foundational investments made by many financial, technical, and philanthropic partners and is aligned to the vision of the African Union and the Government of Senegal for equitable access to vaccines. The commitment to collaborate for 10 years through this agreement will provide a dedicated and autonomous capacity for future outbreaks, pandemics, and essential immunisation programmes. We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with CEPI. The facility will ensure regional outbreaks are not neglected by deploying the latest technology for the greatest need.” said Dr. Amadou Alpha Sall, CEO, Institut Pasteur de Dakar.
“We are convinced that Africa cannot effectively control disease outbreaks without reliable access to health products including vaccines. Local production of the vaccines ensures that the continent can quickly respond to any disease threat using local capacity. This agreement between CEPI and IPD fits with the Africa CDC’s vision of a New Public Health Order with the key pillar of Local Production. We shall continue to support such initiatives which benefit the continent. Africa must produce its own health products as a matter of continental security.” said Dr Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, Acting Director, Africa CDC.
