Cape Town-based pharmaceutical company Biovac has received regulatory approval to begin clinical trials for Africa’s first fully locally manufactured oral cholera vaccine, a development seen as a major step toward vaccine self-sufficiency on the continent.
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority approved the trials, which mark the first time in over 50 years that a vaccine developed and produced entirely in South Africa has entered clinical testing.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi described the launch of the clinical trials as a “historic milestone” for South Africa and the continent.
“The ability to manufacture a life-saving vaccine from start to finish right here at home strengthens our national capacity to respond swiftly to potential outbreaks and enhances Africa’s self-reliance in vaccine production,” he said at the launch event held at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto.
Biovac chief executive Morena Makhoana said the company is proud to lead this effort.
“If the trials are successful, South Africa will become the first country on the continent to produce a cholera vaccine,” Makhoana said.
Pending successful trial outcomes, the vaccine could be approved for use in Africa by 2028 and globally by 2029.
The initiative comes amid a surge in cholera outbreaks across Africa and persistent global shortages of oral cholera vaccines, which have left vulnerable populations at heightened risk.
Cholera, a preventable but potentially fatal disease, has re-emerged as a major public health threat in Africa.
According to the World Health Organisation, more than 200,000 cases and over 4,000 deaths were reported across 15 African countries in 2023 alone, with outbreaks often exacerbated by limited access to clean water and overstretched health systems.
JN/APA