African Scientists Emphasize mRNA Vaccine Technology as Crucial for Continent’s Health Sovereignty

Scientists at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University) have underscored the strategic importance of mRNA vaccine technology in advancing Africa’s public health independence. They argue that for the continent to achieve vaccine sovereignty, it must develop and sustain its own vaccine expertise, intellectual property, and manufacturing capacity, thereby reducing dependence on imported technologies and supplies.

Vaccines have historically been a cornerstone of global health security, enabling landmark achievements such as the eradication of smallpox and the near elimination of poliovirus. However, Africa currently manufactures only about 1% of the vaccines it dispenses. To address this imbalance, the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has set an ambitious target to increase local vaccine production to 60% by 2040.

Researchers from the Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit (AGTRU) and the Synthetic Organic Chemistry Group at Wits University have identified key barriers that must be overcome to establish a sustainable, end-to-end vaccine production ecosystem within Africa. Central to their findings is the pivotal role of mRNA vaccine technologies in building greater public health autonomy.

mRNA vaccines operate by delivering laboratory-synthesized genetic instructions that prompt the body’s cells to produce a harmless fragment of a pathogen. This stimulates an immune response that prepares the body to fight the actual infection. While mRNA vaccines offer significant advantages, including rapid development timelines, they are not a standalone solution. Experts emphasize that mRNA vaccines should be integrated within a broader vaccine-development ecosystem that also includes recombinant viral vaccines, protein subunit vaccines, and other established and emerging platforms.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities of relying heavily on vaccines developed and manufactured outside Africa. Despite unprecedented speed in vaccine development, distribution was highly unequal, leaving many low- and middle-income countries vulnerable to delayed and insufficient vaccine supplies.

"One of mRNA's greatest advantages is its speed. It can be used to identify and test promising vaccine targets relatively quickly, generating knowledge that can then support the development of vaccines using other platforms," said Dr. Kristie Bloom, senior researcher at the Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit.

Highlighting African-led innovation, the Wits research team developed vaccine-delivery compounds derived from cashew nut shell liquid, an abundant agricultural waste product in Africa. They extracted ionizable lipids from cashew nut shells, which are essential components of the lipid nanoparticles that protect mRNA molecules and facilitate their delivery into cells.

These lipids have demonstrated efficient performance in preclinical vaccine formulations and are more cost-effective to produce than some currently licensed alternatives. This innovation could help African vaccine manufacturers reduce reliance on technologies controlled by a limited number of international patent holders.

"By turning an abundant waste material into potentially valuable African-owned intellectual property, the research illustrates why vaccine independence must involve mastery and ownership of the underlying science, rather than simply operating imported manufacturing systems," stated Patrick Arbuthnot, emeritus professor at the Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit.

Following the success of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Medicines Patent Pool established the mRNA Technology Transfer Program. Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines in Cape Town was selected as the program’s central hub, facilitating knowledge and technology transfer to manufacturing partners through a hub-and-spoke model.

During the program’s early stages, the Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit adapted its expertise in therapeutic mRNA for vaccine production and transferred this knowledge to Afrigen, contributing to the development of local mRNA vaccine manufacturing capabilities.

This collaborative approach exemplifies the critical steps needed to build a robust and self-sufficient vaccine ecosystem in Africa, combining scientific innovation, intellectual property ownership, and manufacturing capacity to enhance the continent’s public health resilience.