The presence of Stellenbosch University's (SU) world-class Biomedical Research Institute (BMRI) and Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) at SU's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), was one of the main reasons why the World Health Organisation (WHO) chose South Africa to host Africa's first mRNA vaccine manufacturing hub.
During a media briefing after a tour by a high-level international delegation of these facilities on 11 February 2022, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained that it is this kind of capacity in South Africa that will make the project successful.
“And success is the only option," he added.
The delegation included South African Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, South African Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Buti Manamela, Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation, Meryame Kitir, and other national and international stakeholders.
CERI, which is at the heart of South Africa's world-class viral genomics surveillance programme, is a partner-member of SAMVAC, the South African vaccine consortium selected to become the first Covid mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub in Africa.
The purpose of the hub is to develop a training facility where mRNA technology is developed to the scale required for mass production of vaccines and then for that technology to be transferrable to multiple recipients in low- and middle-income countries.
At the media briefing held at SU's Tygerberg Campus, Ghebreyesus said the “extraordinary scientific triumph" of the development and approval of several Covid-19 vaccines in record time that have saved countless lives and are now giving many countries the confidence to relax restrictions, has been marred by vast inequities in access.
“More than half of the world's population is now fully vaccinated, but 84% of the African population is yet to receive a single dose. Much of this inequity is due to the concentration of vaccine production in a few mostly high-income countries."
He added that one of the pandemic's most obvious lessons is the urgent need to increase local production of vaccines, especially in low- and middle-income countries. That is why the WHO invited applications for the establishment of a technology transfer hub for mRNA vaccines and eventually chose South Africa from the many applications.
The hub is already producing results, with Afrigen Biologics' recent announcement that it has produced its own mRNA vaccine. Clinical trials are expected to start in the fourth quarter of this year, with approval expected in 2024, Ghebreyesus said.
“And the mRNA technology is not just for Covid. It will be for malaria, TB and HIV – it will be a game changer. We expect this vaccine to be more suited to the contexts in which it will be used, with fewer storage constraints and at a lower price."
Asked when the “acute phase" of the pandemic could end, Ghebreyesus said this could happen by the end of 2022 if 70% of the world's population is vaccinated by July. “It's not a matter of chance; it's a matter of choice. If the world wants to end it, it has the means to end it."
Responding to a question about future pandemics, the WHO chief said an underinvestment in public health hampers the world's preparedness to prevent or deal with pandemics. “The world has really progressed a lot in terms of innovation for high-tech medicine, medical interventions, robotics, and so on, while investment in very simple public health is lacking. There are simple things that should be done, starting with surveillance, preparedness, early detection, and response."
Kitir said international recovery depends largely on the world's ability to effectively fight the pandemic together, and that is exactly what the hub project is all about: to bring structural solutions to local needs in worldwide efforts.
“This initiative is showing the world how you solve the fight against inequality. The project is not only a solution for South Africa, but for the whole continent."
Phaahla thanked the WHO for championing vaccine equity. He added that South Africa had not even administered a single vaccine dose a year ago. “Since then, we have come a long way and we have already administered more than 30 million doses. This delegation is the maturation of a very long struggle to access vaccines."
Manamela acknowledged the “tremendous" work scientists have been doing at South African institutions of higher learning to really understand the virus and to contribute to the body of world knowledge. “The capacity of these institutions put us way ahead of many other countries who wanted to host this vaccine hub."
Prof Wim de Villiers, SU Rector and Vice Chancellor, described the hosting of the world's top health officials at a crucial time for the globe as a “proud moment".
“We are in the middle of a pandemic, but thankfully we are making remarkable progress in fighting it. The facilities and initiatives that are helping us fight it, are being highlighted today and are part of that success story."
FMHS Dean Prof Elmi Muller said the Faculty is committed to find practical and impactful solutions to the health challenges faced by the people of South Africa and the African continent. “We are proud to help close the vaccine gap for low- and middle-income countries, by pairing our scientific expertise with our new cutting-edge technology available in the BMRI.
“Today we celebrate the important opportunity to be a part of what we can call a scientific breakthrough – developing an mRNA vaccine in record time," Muller added.
Photo caption: Profs Gerhard Walzl (second from right) and Tulio de Oliveira (far right) takes the WHO's Director General, dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other high-level delegates on a tour through SU's Biomedical Research Institute.
Photo credit: Nardus Engelbrecht
