Molecular farming in African biomanufacturing: A UK-Southern Africa partnership for enhancing vaccine production and biosecurity capacity

This project explores how we can use plants to produce vaccines and medicines more quickly, affordably, and flexibly. Molecular farming leverages plants as cell factories to produce essential biologics, such as vaccines and biotherapeutics. A major challenge Africa faces is its reliance on other regions for vaccines and medicines, which can lead to shortages during health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Our project, in collaboration with expert partners from the UK, led by Imperial College, focuses on building local capacity in Southern Africa to produce these vaccines and therapies. This will strengthen Africa’s ability to respond rapidly to health emergencies and ensure that supply chains remain robust during crises. By supporting plant-based production, we aim to diversify manufacturing methods, potentially reducing supply chain bottlenecks and improving access to vital treatments. An exciting aspect of our work is that our network will help identify and prioritize the next pipeline of vaccines and biotherapeutics for clinical development in the region. We will evaluate plant-based production as a potential leapfrogging option alongside other well-established expression systems, such as mammalian or microbial cells. By comparing these systems, we aim to develop decision-support frameworks to determine which production method is best suited for each type of vaccine or therapeutic. Ultimately, this initiative will enable Africa to take a leadership role in vaccine and therapeutic production, working in close partnership with the UK.