Sanofi and Biovac Lead Polio Vaccine Manufacturing Capabilities

Sanofi and Biovac, a Cape Town, South Africa-based biopharmaceutical business, have announced a local manufacturing agreement to produce inactivated polio vaccines (IPV) in Africa. This partnership aims to enable regional manufacturing of polio vaccinations to meet the prospective needs of over 40 African countries. 

The collaboration with Sanofi establishes Biovac as the first African producer of IPV on and for the African continent, and it supports the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's goal of producing 60 percent of indigenous vaccines in Africa by 2040.

Thomas Triomphe, executive vice president, Vaccines, Sanofi, said: “For 40 years, Sanofi has supplied billions of polio vaccine doses globally, supporting the world getting close to polio eradication. But with the Covid-19 pandemic, many routine paediatric vaccination programs were halted or disrupted. Catching up will be key to preventing a rise in cases in many countries worldwide and this Sanofi partnership with Biovac is a step in that direction. Establishing this manufacturing partnership now, ahead of time, is key to enabling Biovac’s manufacturing capabilities for future international tenders.”

Dr Morena Makhoana, chief executive officer, Biovac, said: “We are very proud of this partnership with Sanofi, which will empower Biovac as an African manufacturer to champion polio eradication on and for the continent by bringing manufacturing of IPV doses closer to people needs.”