South Africa announced this Tuesday the start of a clinical trial for the first cholera vaccine developed from start to finish at the state level, in a new step to remedy the high dependence that the continent has on foreign countries to obtain its drugs.
The South African vaccine manufacturer Biovac, based in Cape Town, has received approval from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) to begin the first phase of trials of its oral vaccine against cholera, as reported by the South African Government in a statement. This “advance could make South Africa the only African country capable of manufacturing this life-saving vaccine from start to finish,” the Executive highlighted.
Vaccines produced in South Africa usually receive the active ingredient from abroad, while only the last stages of manufacturing are produced on its territory. In this case, Biovac is in charge of the entire process, from the innovation to develop the vaccine to clinical trials and its submission for regulatory approval.
“The ability to manufacture a vital vaccine from start to finish right here in our country strengthens our national capacity to respond quickly to potential outbreaks and improves Africa’s self-sufficiency in vaccine production,” rather than relying on limited global supply, said South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.
Thus, this advance brings the continent closer to the goal established by the African Union (AU) for Africa to produce 60% of all the routine vaccines it uses by 2030, compared to less than 1% currently.
The first phase of the trial was launched last October and will focus on adults, before other phases in which its effectiveness will be evaluated against other vaccines on the market. Based on the results of these studies, the vaccine could be ready for use in Africa in 2028, Motsoaledi said.
“Biovac is proud to manufacture this vaccine entirely in South Africa, which is an unprecedented milestone in more than fifty years,” said the company’s CEO, Morena Makhoana. “This advance responds to a critical and vital need, given the current global shortage of the vaccine amid recurring cholera outbreaks,” he added.
Biovac has successfully developed the technology to manufacture the oral cholera vaccine after signing a technology transfer agreement in 2022 with the International Vaccine Institute of South Korea.
Increase in cases on the continent
Although South Africa experiences cholera outbreaks only occasionally, mainly due to cross-border movements with neighboring countries and the lack of clean water in some communities in the country, continental cases have increased dramatically this year, in the face of an insufficient supply of vaccines.
Thus, at the beginning of last October, Africa exceeded the number of all registered cholera infections in 2024 and now the continent has already accumulated more than 300,000 cases, including almost 7,000 deaths, in 23 countries, according to data from the AU’s Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
