The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize the partnership between the two organizations to advance IPD’s MADIBA project, a regional manufacturing hub for COVID-19 and other vaccines in Dakar, Sénégal. In its initial phase, IPD’s new modular facility will manufacture up to 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine annually for use in Africa.
With the manufacturing facility in advanced construction, IPD is on track to start vaccine production in the third quarter of 2022. IPD has previously signed an MOU with BioNTech to pursue mRNA vaccine manufacturing and is actively exploring partnerships with other vaccine companies to produce licensed COVID-19 vaccines in its new manufacturing facility. In the future, IPD plans to expand to produce vaccines against other pathogens that are relevant to the region – potentially also new vaccines funded by CEPI.
CEPI will provide strategic and technical support to IPD’s MADIBA project to advance the development and delivery of vaccines manufacturing in Africa. CEPI will also advise on the implementation of an innovative vaccine filling and delivery solution, licensed from MedInstill/INTACT Solutions and developed with CEPI’s funding and support.