BioNTech Plans to Address Infectious Diseases on the African Continent | Hacker News Reader

BioNTech Plans to Address Infectious Diseases on the African Continent

investors.biontech.de

103 pointsmpweiher6 comments

The TB part is interesting, because the vaccine that's "available" in the US (in quotes because the supply chain probably is not fully functional) hardly works at all. It's a major problem for prisoners, health care workers who currently have to use CBRN respirators, and pretty much everyone who lives in certain highly contaminated cities, mostly on the west coast.

That’d be really exciting if they managed to get a working Malaria vaccine out of this research. Would be useful in so many places.

They could start with COVID-19

Talking is cheap, but the reality is that you can't even make one existing mRNA vaccine available in Africa.

„The second objective is the development of sustainable vaccine production and supply solutions on the African continent. BioNTech is exploring possibilities to set up state-of-the-art mRNA manufacturing facilities, either with partners or on its own. The facilities are expected to manufacture various mRNA-based vaccines upon approval to ensure sustainable supply operations.“, from the announcement

They are planning to produce them there. From what I understand, mRNA vaccine production capabilities seem to be versatile. Swap out the mRNA payload and your facility can produce a whole different vaccine in no time. That would put the continent in a much better position if there is ever the need again to have a new vaccine rapidly produced.

A few African countries are using Pfizer/BioNTech's mRNA vaccine as part of their COVID-19 vaccination programmes. By that measure, they're 'available'.

Pfizer/BioNTech have also signed an agreement with South Africa's Biovac Institute for the 'fill and finish' manufacturing of their COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.

It's not nearly enough of course, and no substitute for full-blown IP waivers and technology transfer. In fact you could argue they've been forced into this by the threat of those waivers. But it's not nothing.

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