COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing prepares hundreds of people each year to work in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry, but in 2023 they are doing even more.
"Currently, Africa produces less than 1% of its own vaccines on the continent and the goal by 2040 is that they produce more than 60% of their own vaccines," Interim Director Baley Reeves said. "It's a huge undertaking and there are a lot of international players that are involved, we're just one of many."
According to Reeves, the continent's infrastructure and workforce are not available, that's why the center will be training 80 to 90 employees of African vaccine manufacturers from countries like South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria to create sustainability and provide access to vaccines for people in the continent.
“We really don't have good countermeasures besides vaccination for our viral-based diseases. Our anti-viral toolbox is limited at best," Reeves said. "Really in terms of preventing future outbreaks, vaccination is absolutely critical to prevent future pandemics.”
The first of 8 cohorts will arrive in August for training. One class will cover protein-based, and another for mRNA vaccines, which will last 1 to 2 weeks. Participants will learn everything from how to create a molecule of interest through the purification process.
“If we do support the countries to have their own domestic manufacturing capacity, it allows us here nationally to maintain our vaccines for ourselves," Associate Director Jenny Ligon said. "I think we can help spread this knowledge, and every country and globally can produce their own vaccines, I think that's the end game.”
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