Pharmaceutical company Biontech - Vaccine production in Africa: not about speed
The pharmaceutical company Biontech does not just want to focus on speed when setting up its first vaccine production facility in Africa. "We want to train personnel in Africa," company CEO Ugur Sahin told the German Press Agency in Kigali. With a view to artificial intelligence (AI for short), he added: "AI expertise and digitalization are also important to us here."
In Rwanda's capital on Monday, Sahin presented a centerpiece of the Mainz-based company's first production facility for mRNA vaccines on the continent, which is currently under construction, in the presence of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Green Party). The modular complex will produce vaccines for the African market from 2025.
According to Sierk Poetting, Managing Director Operations, there will initially be test production runs in Kigali in 2025. Biontech plans to have 100 employees in Kigali in 2025, with investments estimated by the Mainz-based company at around 150 million US dollars (around 138 million euros).
"Basically, we are currently developing a new modularized system that could be set up more quickly in the future," explained Poetting. The company speaks of "biontainers" - an artificial word made up of biontech and container. "It's like the automotive industry, where there are also standardized plants."
It is not yet clear which mRNA vaccine will be produced at the start in Kigali. "We are in clinical trials for the respective vaccine candidates against malaria, Mpox and tuberculosis," said Sahin. For those against tuberculosis and malaria, it will take a few more years. "The development of the Mpox vaccine could go faster depending on the conditions."
It is also important to train the production of the Covid-19 vaccine in Kigali. "SARS-CoV-2 is a pathogen that is constantly changing," said Sahin. The coronavirus pandemic has shown that vaccines are initially used where they are produced. "Regional production sites can help to address the vaccine shortage phase in other parts of the world."
In principle, the production of therapeutic cancer vaccines, which Biontech is working on, is also conceivable in the future with different equipment. Sahin's hope: "The first approved therapeutic cancer vaccines could be available by 2030."
mRNA vaccines experienced their breakthrough during the coronavirus pandemic. In contrast to some conventional vaccines, they do not contain attenuated or killed viruses, but a type of construction manual, the mRNA, for a component of the pathogen. Roughly speaking, this stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies.
Message from Biontech on the appointment in Kigali
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- Biontech, the pharmaceutical company, emphasizes the importance of training local personnel in Africa, as stated by CEO Ugur Sahin during a visit to Kigali.
- The German Press Agency covered Sahin's presentation of Biontech's first mRNA vaccine production facility in Rwanda, which is planned to begin operations in 2025.
- Sierk Poetting, Managing Director Operations at Biontech, mentioned that there will be initial test production runs in Kigali in 2025.
- The initial investment for setting up the facility in Kigali is estimated to be around 150 million US dollars, according to the Mainz-based company.
- Biontech plans to have 100 employees in Kigali by 2025, with a focus on digitalization and AI expertise to complement their operations.
- The anticipated vaccine production in Kigali will not only include Covid-19 vaccines but also potential candidates for malaria, Mpox, and tuberculosis.
- Sahin stated that regional production sites can help address vaccine shortages in different parts of the world, emphasizing the importance of local production for global health.
- The Federal Government of Germany has expressed support for Biontech's initiatives in Rwanda, acknowledging the potential of AI and digitization for vaccine production in Africa.
- In relation to the coronavirus pandemic, artificial intelligence and digitization have proven to be crucial tools for monitoring and combatting diseases like Covid-19, as demonstrated by Biontech's development of mRNA vaccines.
Source: www.stern.de
