BioNTech has created a mobile vaccine factory for rollout in Africa

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BioNTech, the German biotech firm that co-developed the first Western Covid-19 shot, has unveiled a mobile vaccine factory to aid the vaccine rollout across regions with limited access to supplies.

Housed in shipping containers, the factories will consist of two separate modules called BioNTainers. The units, consisting of 12 containers in total, will produce around 50 million doses of the mRNA vaccine on a not-for-profit basis in developing countries.

Transportable by road, rail, air or sea, the modules will also be capable of producing future BioNTech mRNA-based vaccines such as malaria and tuberculosis shots, as well as treatments for cancer that are currently undergoing clinical trials.

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While no figure was given for the overall cost, BioNTech said that it would cover the cost of the factories' development, manufacturing and shipping.

According to the company, such mobile factories could help boost the medicine manufacture for poorer communities in remote or underdeveloped regions. At present, vaccine mass production is largely reliant on sophisticated laboratories in industrialised countries.

The modular nature of the factories will also make scaling up of production much easier by adding more modules and sites to the network. 

BioNTech also said that it would work alongside local labs on quality control, one of the most critical parts of the manufacturing process, to make sure the composition, strength and purity are up to standard.

The BioNTainer was unveiled at a meeting at the BioNTech manufacturing plant in Marburg, Germany.

Attendees included BioNTech CEO Prof. Ugur Sahin, the presidents of Ghana, Rwanda and Senegal, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and Germany's Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Svenja Schulze.

Ghanian President Nana Akufo-Addo praised the modular factories, saying: "Today represents a momentous day for Mother Africa. Another step in the process towards self-reliance has been taken.

"We want to achieve self-sufficiency in vaccine production to meet future national, regional and continental needs for health security. Ghana reaffirms her determination to make this Pan-African vaccine project work and succeed."

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Prof. Ugur Sahin, CEO and Co-founder of BioNTech, added: "Today’s milestone brings us one step closer to our goal of improving healthcare by making our innovations accessible worldwide.

"I am grateful for the support of the great leaders and experts who joined us today. It is an honour to work with them to make a difference and to support sustainable vaccine access, establishing regional manufacturing facilities in Africa – with the people on the African continent. I am optimistic that the next time we meet in front of BioNTainers, it will not be in Europe, but in Africa."

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