IAVI and IPD's agreement fails to ensure Africa's vaccine needs are met
- IAVI and IPD formalized their collaboration on December 13, 2024, in Dakar, Senegal.
- The partnership focuses on developing and manufacturing novel vaccines targeting priority pathogens affecting Africa.
- This agreement positions Africa to achieve significant local vaccine production by 2040, enhancing health security.
In Senegal, IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research organization dedicated to addressing global health challenges, and the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD), a foundation focused on health equity, signed a collaborative agreement on December 13, 2024. This partnership aims to enhance vaccine development and production, specifically aimed at combatting pathogens that pose significant health threats in Africa. The agreement was signed during a celebration of IPD’s centenary, symbolizing a commitment to public health progress on the continent. The joint efforts between IAVI and IPD will focus initially on the manufacturing and commercialization of IAVI’s rVSV-Lassa vaccine candidate, which is crucial in fighting the Lassa virus. Additionally, the partnership aims to explore and develop other vaccine candidates targeting several emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), including the Marburg virus and Ebolaviruses. These initiatives are designed to align with Africa's broader public health goals and strengthen the region’s manufacturing capacity to enable a reliable supply chain for vaccines. This agreement signifies a meaningful step towards achieving the African Union’s objective of local vaccine production, which aims to satisfy at least 60% of the continent's vaccine requirements by 2040. IAVI and IPD both share a commitment to implementing Africa's New Public Health Order, as initiated by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), which seeks to bolster the continent's response to infectious diseases through home-grown solutions. Moreover, the agreement supports IAVI’s recent memorandum of understanding with Africa CDC to enhance vaccine and antibody research capabilities across the continent. By fostering local partnerships and leveraging combined expertise, IAVI and IPD aim to address urgent health challenges effectively, ensuring that Africans can access vaccines that meet local health needs. This collaboration is positioned to create a sustainable model for vaccine manufacturing in Africa, promoting health security and enabling timely responses to emerging public health threats.