The Brazilian Institute of Technology in Immunobiologicals of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and the Argentinean private sector biopharmaceutical company Sinergium Biotech will manufacture anti-Covid-19 vaccines and meet the challenges of future infectious diseases.
According to the Pan American Health Organisation, regional centres in Brazil and Argentina were selected for the development and production of mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccines in the region.
Dr Soumya Swaminathan, WHO’s chief scientist, and Dr Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO’s Deputy Director, reported the result at the latest Governing Board meeting of the regional health body, after convening manufacturers and public and private research institutions last April.
The objective was to contribute to the establishment of Covid-19 mRNA vaccine technology transfer centres in emerging economies and was supported by PAHO/WHO global partners such as the Medicines Patent Pool, an international organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Some 30 expressions of interest from Latin American companies and scientific institutions were received, and a second call was launched last month specifically targeting manufacturers interested in forming a regional consortium to supply pharmaceutical grade reagents and other supplies.
In addition, PAHO recently launched the Regional Platform for Advancing the Production of Vaccines and other Health Technologies for Covid-19 in the Americas, which will support collaboration among countries and agencies to apply existing biomanufacturing capacity to the production of immunogens and other technologies.
The platform is based on the principle that pharmaceutical manufacturing should be regional in scope and benefit all countries, and the distribution of vaccines will be carried out by the organisation’s Revolving Fund.
The Immunobiological Technology Institute of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Bio- Manguinhos / Fiocruz) has a long history in vaccine manufacturing and has made promising progress in the development of an innovative mRNA vaccine against Covid-19.
For its part, the private sector biopharmaceutical company Sinergium Biotech of Argentina will partner with the biotech company mAbxience, part of the same group, to develop and manufacture the immunogen’s active ingredients.
Both companies have extensive experience in the production and development of these drugs and other biotech medical products. (PL)
(Translated by Cristina Popa – Email: gcpopa83@gmail.com) – Photos: Pixabay
.jpg)
