SII in talks on fill finishing Oxford University R21 malaria vaccine in Ghana: Expert

Published On 2023-04-21 07:45 GMT | Update On 2024-02-13 18:31 GMT

Bengaluru: Vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India is holding talks on fill-finishing Oxford University's R21 malaria vaccine in Ghana, which approved the shot this month, a Ghanaian vaccine expert said on Thursday.

Fill-finishing is one of the final stages of drug manufacturing and packaging. The vaccine's approval by Ghana and Nigeria was unusual because final-stage trial data has not yet been published and the

World Health Organisation (WHO) is still assessing its safety and effectiveness.

"As part of the engagement we've been doing to facilitate vaccine manufacturing in Ghana, we've actually facilitated some partnerships between (local manufacturer) DEK Vaccines and the Serum Institute," William Ampofo, secretary of Ghana's presidential committee on vaccine manufacturing and development, told a news conference organised by the WHO's Africa office.

"Serum Institute is actually in Ghana holding talks with DEK Vaccines Limited ... looking at how R21 could be fill-finished and produced in Ghana," Ampofo said.

DEK Vaccines Ltd is a Ghanaian firm that is aiming to start producing vaccines within the next two years. Mosquito-borne malaria kills more than 600,000 people each year, most of them Africa babies and children.

Childhood vaccines in the poorest parts of Africa are typically co-funded by international organisations such as Gavi, the vaccine alliance, only after getting WHO approval.

Phionah Atuhebwe, a vaccines introduction officer at the WHO, told Thursday's briefing that Ghana and Nigeria had not "jumped the gun" in approving the R21 vaccine as their regulators could review the data as it became available.

"They have systems in place which ... review this data and can grant that approval. However we need for UNICEF to go ahead and procure this vaccine, which is done in most of our low- and middle-income countries, for Gavi to also go ahead and fund this vaccine. And WHO pre-qualification is required," she added.

Vaccines against malaria have taken decades to develop because of the complicated structure and lifecycle of the malaria parasite. The Oxford shot is the second in recent years to be approved for use. Oxford has a deal with Serum Institute of India to produce up to 200 million doses of the vaccine annually.

Read also: University of Oxford Malaria vaccine gets regulatory clearance for use in Ghana

Article Source : Reuters

Disclaimer: This website is primarily for healthcare professionals. The content here does not replace medical advice and should not be used as medical, diagnostic, endorsement, treatment, or prescription advice. Medical science evolves rapidly, and we strive to keep our information current. If you find any discrepancies, please contact us at corrections@medicaldialogues.in. Read our Correction Policy here. Nothing here should be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not endorse any healthcare advice that contradicts a physician's guidance. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Advertisement Policy. For more details, read our Full Disclaimer here.

NOTE: Join us in combating medical misinformation. If you encounter a questionable health, medical, or medical education claim, email us at factcheck@medicaldialogues.in for evaluation.

Ruchika Sharma

Ruchika Sharma joined Medical Dialogue as an Correspondent for the Business Section in 2019. She covers all the updates in the Pharmaceutical field, Policy, Insurance, Business Healthcare, Medical News, Health News, Pharma News, Healthcare and Investment. She has completed her B.Com from Delhi University and then pursued postgraduation in M.Com. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in Contact no. 011-43720751

Comments Policy

Our comments section is governed by our Comments Policy . By posting comments at Medical Dialogues you automatically agree with our Comments Policy , Terms And Conditions and Privacy Policy .

SII in talks on fill finishing Oxford University R21 malaria vaccine in Ghana: Expert

Similar News

CDSCO Panel Withholds Nod for Syngene's Pegfilgrastim Trial, Seeks Additional Data

Zydus Told To Conduct Phase III Trial in India for Lurbinectedin Injection, BE Study Waived

Top USFDA vaccine official Vinay Prasad exits agency

Akums Drugs & Pharma appoints Tarun Kapoor as CIO

NPPA Regulated Prices of 2,295 Essential Drugs Over Five Years, Says Govt

CDSCO Introduces QR Code System for Streamlined Visitor Entry

JnJ seeks USFDA approval for Tremfya label update

Zydus completes acquisition of 85.6% stake in Amplitude Surgical