BioNTech-Pfizer announce collaboration to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines in South Africa

Pfizer and BioNTech will start manufacturing their COVID-19 vaccine in South Africa. Pfizer and BioNTech on July 21 announced the signing of a letter of intent with Biovac Institute, a South African biopharmaceutical company that will manufacture the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Biovac’s production of doses will be distributed among the 55 member states of the African Union. 

Pfizer and BioNTech collaborate with Biovac

Biovac will receive substances for the making of vaccines from Europe. The manufacturing of vaccine doses will commence in 2022 and at full operational capacity, the annual production will exceed 100 million finished doses annually. Biovac will begin manufacturing and distribution activities within Pfizer’s and BioNTech’s global COVID-19 vaccine supply chain. 

Biovac chief executive Dr Morena Makhoana in the press release said that the development is “a critical step” in increasing Africa’s access to a COVID-19 vaccine. Makhoana added that he was "thrilled" to collaborate with Pfizer-BioNTech to produce and distribute the COVID-19 vaccine within Africa. Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pfizer in the press release said that the company aims to provide "free and equitable" access of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to all. Bourla added that the collaboration with Biovac will benefit the people of Africa. 

"From day one, our goal has been to provide fair and equitable access of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to everyone, everywhere," Albert Bourla said in the press release.

"Our latest collaboration with Biovac is a shining example of the tireless work being done, in this instance to benefit Africa. We will continue to explore and pursue opportunities to bring new partners into our supply chain network, including in Latin America, to further accelerate access of COVID-19 vaccines", Bourla added.

The South African government has ramped up the vaccination drive in the country as more than 220,000 people get vaccinated on weekdays, according to AP. South Africa aims to vaccinate about 67 per cent of its population by February 2022. Vaccination levels are low across Africa, with less than 2 per cent of the continent’s population of 1.3 billion having received at least one dose of vaccine, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

IMAGE: Pixabay

(With Inputs from AP)