VALIDATE Annual Meeting Keynote- mRNA Vaccine Innovation Platform: An Open Science Model Enabling LMICs to Build Capabilities for Pandemic Preparedness and Regional Vaccine Production

About the Talk

Part of the VALIDATE 5th Annual Meeting - 09:30am, 8 March 2023

This presentation by Afrigen Biologics the mRNA Hub in South Africa will share the strategic intent, design, operation, scientific progress, technical and intellectual property challenges and partnerships of the mRNA technology development and transfer program created by WHO and partners. Its fundamental goal is to empower LMICs to respond to future pandemics through technology transfer creating sustainable capacity and capabilities to manufacture vaccines relevant for the burden of diseases in those regions. The Covid 19 pandemic has yet again surfaced the challenges of vaccine security for the Global South were insufficient skills and capacity resulted in dependence and vulnerability. Equitable access to vaccine technology platforms have become key to epidemic prevention and effective pandemic response in addition to contributing to socio-economic development.

The WHO-and partners created the mRNA Hub program with the objective to achieve effective multi-lateral technology transfer and foster vaccine innovation capabilities for a network of 15 companies located in LMICs across 4 continents. The mRNA Hub program integrates across essential elements in a functional ecosystem to ensure effective uptake of technology, access to know how and IP and enabling sustainability models. The program developed its own mRNA COVID-19 vaccines candidate produced on the mRNA vaccine platform established in South Africa at Afrigen Biologics to validate the platform before turnkey technology transfer to the network of 15 companies in LMICs.

Find out more about Afrigen on their website - www.afrigen.co.za

About the Speakers

Dr Caryn Fenner is the Executive Director of the mRNA Hub at Afrigen. Before joining Afrigen Biologics, Caryn held a research position at the Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER) at UCT, focusing on new product and process development using microbial and enzyme technology. Caryn has technical experience in biomanufacturing of recombinant proteins and therapeutics. She has taught at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, including supervision of postgraduate students. She served on CeBER’s executive management team and oversaw operations of the analytical facilities. As an NRF grant-holder, Caryn was the principal investigator of two research projects in the area of biocatalysis. She has co-authored articles and chapters in peer-reviewed journals and books.

Upon joining Afrigen, Caryn led the R&D portfolio, overseeing all scientific and technical operations and leading a team of highly competent scientist focusing on the application of next generation adjuvant formulations to the development of new vaccines and therapeutics. Most recently Caryn has taken on the executive directorship of the Global mRNA technology transfer and training hub, a WHO-led public/ private partnership consortium to advance mRNA vaccine development and manufacturing for Africa and other LMICs.

Prof Petro Terblanche is the Managing Director of Afrigen Biologics. Petro a track record in the successful strategic management of technology-intensive organizations and the translation of research into innovation. She has extensive experience developing and managing research portfolios for clinical research projects for single and/or combination therapy in the field of medical oncology, and in planning, executing, and publishing original research aimed at decision support and policy development in the field of environmental health.

She has been the lead negotiator on several licence agreements in the field of food, fine chemical and pharmaceuticals and has been instrumental in the creation of start-up companies for profit and non-profit purposes. She has played a key role in the development and implementation of South Africa's Biotechnology strategy since 1999.