DAKAR, Senegal and OSLO, Norway; 18 January 2022: The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize the partnership between the two organizations to advance IPD’s MADIBA project, a regional manufacturing hub for COVID-19 and other vaccines in Dakar, Sénégal. In its initial phase, IPD’s new modular facility will manufacture up to 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine annually for use in Africa.

With the manufacturing facility in advanced construction, IPD is on track to start vaccine production in the third quarter of 2022. IPD has previously signed an MOU with BioNTech to pursue mRNA vaccine manufacturing and is actively exploring partnerships with other vaccine companies to produce licensed COVID-19 vaccines in its new manufacturing facility. In the future, IPD plans to expand to produce vaccines against other pathogens that are relevant to the region – potentially also new vaccines funded by CEPI.

CEPI will provide strategic and technical support to IPD’s MADIBA project to advance the development and delivery of vaccines manufacturing in Africa. CEPI will also advise on the implementation of an innovative vaccine filling and delivery solution, licensed from MedInstill/INTACT Solutions and developed with CEPI’s funding and support.

Innovative technology to speed up vaccine production and delivery

IPD has selected this novel technology to accelerate the scale up of their vaccine production capabilities and facilitate rapid delivery of vaccines for Africa. IPD will fill the finished vaccine – known as drug product – into sterile plastic pouches similar to IV drip bags, which can hold and transport 200 doses of vaccine per pouch, as an alternative to filling the finished vaccine into conventional glass vials.

This new technology for filling, transporting, and delivering vaccines makes the multi-dose pouches particularly suitable for use in low-resource settings. Compared to glass vials the pouches are lighter and smaller, so they reduce the cost and footprint of the cold chain. Administering the vaccine from the pouches is quick and easy, providing a rapid and low-cost solution for mass vaccination campaigns during outbreaks and pandemics.

CEPI has been supporting MedInstill/INTACT Solutions since March 2020 to evaluate the multi-dose pouches to make sure the technology is safe and effective for use as a vaccine container, and compatible with multiple vaccine products. CEPI will now support IPD to implement the use of the technology in their manufacturing facility.

Diversifying vaccine manufacturing

IPD is an established and WHO prequalified manufacturer of yellow fever vaccines. Its expanded and upgraded manufacturing facilities position IPD to lead a regional vaccine production hub, contributing to a shared objective between IPD and CEPI to bolster health security in the region by establishing African-led vaccine manufacturing capacity. The partners plan to explore future collaborations to manufacture CEPI-funded vaccines for delivery in Africa.

CEPI’s partnership with IPD builds upon an MoU between CEPI and the African Union/ Africa CDC which seeks to enhance vaccine R&D and manufacturing in Africa, and the organization’s participation in the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM).

—ENDS—

About CEPI

CEPI is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil organisations, launched at Davos in 2017, to develop vaccines against future epidemics. Prior to COVID-19 CEPI’s work focused on developing vaccines against Ebola virus, Lassa virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, Nipah virus, Rift Valley Fever virus and Chikungunya virus – it has over 20 vaccine candidates against these pathogens in development. CEPI has also invested in new platform technologies for rapid vaccine development against unknown pathogens (Disease X).

During the current pandemic, CEPI initiated multiple programmes to develop vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants with a focus on speed, scale and access. These programmes leverage the rapid response platforms developed by CEPI’s partners prior to the emergence of COVID-19 as well as new collaborations. The aim is to advance clinical development of a diverse portfolio of safe and effective COVID-19 candidates and to enable fair allocation to these vaccines worldwide through COVAX.

CEPI’s 5-year plan lays out a $3.5 billion roadmap to compress vaccine development timelines to 100 days, develop a universal vaccine against COVID-19 and other Betacoronaviruses, and create a “library” of vaccine candidates for use against known and unknown pathogens. The plan is available at http://www.endpandemics.cepi.net.

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About IPD

The Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) is a non-profit public interest foundation located in Senegal with the mission to contribute to public health and well-being in Sénégal and Africa by conducting research, providing training and education, sharing scientific knowledge, and advancing vaccine production. Since its founding in 1896, IPD has been at the forefront of the fight against infectious diseases in West Africa. IPD is one of the four WHO prequalified manufacturers to supply yellow fever vaccine to UN’s Agencies.

Follow IPD via @PasteurDakar and LinkedIn.

Media contacts

CEPI

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +44 7387 055214

IPD

Abdou Khadre Lo

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +221 77 529 52 51

Ndiouga Faye

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +221 77 442 76 00