A new initiative to boost vaccine production in Africa will encourage the use of technologies that support efficient and cost-effective manufacturing, according to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance that brings together governments, WHO, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation and industry. Gavi recently launched the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), describing it as a $1.2 billion financing mechanism designed to boost vaccine production and sovereignty on the continent.
A Gavi spokesperson said AVMA was providing incentive payments to cover increased production costs on the African continent, an important support as new manufacturers need to achieve the economies of scale needed to compete in the global market.
“New entrants entering manufacturing in Africa are likely to enter the market with relatively low production volumes,” the Gavi representative added. “It will therefore be important that these new entrants use innovative manufacturing processes that can maintain high-quality production at relatively low unit costs, even at small volumes.”
“The incentives are specifically designed to make the manufacturing of AVMA priority vaccines as profitable as possible. These are vaccines where new product profiles would benefit national programs or where analysis suggests that the opportunity for sustainable commercial manufacturing is greatest.”
RNA for Africa
The AVMA will also support manufacturers using “priority technology platforms,” including those based on viral vectors and mRNA, the spokesperson said. “We hope to see diversification of platform technologies on the continent,” he added.
By supporting the production of mRNA-based vaccines, the aim is to prepare Africa for future pandemics and promote the development of vaccines that protect against endemic diseases.
“Apart from COVID-19, there are currently no WHO pre-qualified mRNA vaccines for routine vaccination. AVMA offers special rewards for any vaccine technologies that utilize this technology platform, and we hope AVMA will encourage innovation in this area,” the official noted.
Technology suppliers
Companies seeking AVMA support are also encouraged to develop close relationships with their suppliers to ensure they have access to innovative bioprocessing technologies.
Gavi encourages companies considering vaccine production on the African continent to adapt their business models to the specific market conditions of the vaccine they plan to produce. The organization says it is working to provide all prospective manufacturers with better market intelligence to help them create solid business models.
“Of course, these business models will also depend on making maximum use of innovative technologies, and manufacturers should of course build networks among manufacturing technology manufacturers,” said Gavi. “However, to incentivise downstream development, AVMA is designed to create market conditions that favour efficient, high-quality and cost-effective manufacturing – we do not provide direct advice or brokerage support on a business-to-business basis.”
