2 November 2015
Pfizer And The Biovac Institute Launch Partnership To Manufacture Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine In South Africa
Technology transfer to enable The Biovac Institute to manufacture potentially life-saving vaccine for South African children at new plant in Cape Town
SANDTON, 2 November: Pfizer Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement with The Biovac Institute (Biovac), a Public Private Partnership between the South African government and the Biovac Consortium, to locally manufacture Pfizer’s innovative pneumococcal vaccine.
As part of the agreement, Pfizer will transfer formulation and filling manufacturing technology to Biovac that will enable production at Biovac’s new commercial scale manufacturing facility in Cape Town, in compliance with the applicable Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards. This partnership is designed to ensure sustainable supply of this important, potentially life-saving vaccine for South African children.
The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is indicated in South Africa for the prevention of invasive disease, pneumonia and acute otitis media caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in infants and young children from six weeks to five years of age. Results from laboratory-based surveillance published in The New England Journal of Medicine in November 2014 showed that the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in South Africa is associated with substantially reduced rates of invasive pneumococcal disease in children.1
“Preventing pneumococcal disease is a priority for Pfizer in South Africa. We have already seen great results since vaccination was introduced and we are pleased to partner with Biovac, sharing best practices, knowledge and skills to continue to make a real difference for patients,” says Jennifer Power, South African Country Manager for Pfizer Inc. “We are confident that this partnership will help ensure the sustainable supply of our pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for patients in South Africa.”
“Biovac is committed to developing and establishing a strong and locally relevant vaccine manufacturing capability, and more specifically, vaccine process and product development in South Africa. We believe that this partnership with Pfizer will strengthen our ability to deliver a potentially life-saving vaccine for South African children as well as accelerate our technological expertise in vaccines development,” says Dr. Morena Makhoana, Biovac Chief Executive Officer.
Pfizer Inc.: Working Together For A Healthier World™
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products. Our global portfolio includes medicines and vaccines as well as many of the world's best-known Consumer health care products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. To learn more, please visit us at www.pfizer.com.
About The Biovac Institute
Biovac is a Public Private Partnership aimed at re-establishing domestic manufacturing of human vaccines in order for Southern Africa to be able to respond to its own vaccine-preventable diseases. Located in South Africa, Biovac recently established manufacturing facilities in Cape Town, and is actively partnering with global vaccine manufacturing companies in its quest to establish local manufacturing capability using the latest vaccine manufacturing technologies. The largest distributor of vaccines in South Africa, Biovac supplies over 25 million doses of vaccines annually throughout Southern Africa.
1von Gottberg A, de Gouveia L, Tempia S, et al. Effects of Vaccination on Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in South Africa. N Engl J Med 2014; 371:1889-1899. 2
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