Africa CDC welcomes new HIV prevention manufacturing partnerships across Africa

Africa, Health

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (NPA) — The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has welcomed new voluntary licensing agreements between global pharmaceutical company MSD and three African manufacturers, describing the initiative as a major step towards strengthening the continent’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and improving access to innovative healthcare.

The announcement was made on Wednesday in Addis Ababa, where Africa CDC said the partnerships align with its Health Security and Sovereignty Agenda by advancing innovation across Africa’s pharmaceutical value chain.

According to Africa CDC, the agreements relate to MK-8527, an investigational once-monthly oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) candidate currently under development.

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The agency said the initiative links Africa’s growing clinical research ecosystem with regional manufacturing to promote equitable access to high-quality health innovations across the continent.

Under the agreements, MSD has partnered with Aspen Pharmacare of South Africa, Quality Chemicals Industries Limited of Uganda and Universal Corporation Limited of Kenya.

Welcoming the collaboration, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described the partnership as a vote of confidence in Africa’s pharmaceutical capabilities.

“This partnership demonstrates confidence not only in South Africa’s capabilities, but in Africa’s ability to manufacture the medicines of the future,” Ramaphosa said.

Also commenting on the development, Africa CDC Director-General, Dr Jean Kaseya, said the agreements represent a new approach to global health innovation by positioning African countries as contributors to research, manufacturing and access to new medicines.

“This is more than a manufacturing announcement. It demonstrates a new partnership model in which African countries help generate scientific evidence, prepare to manufacture innovative products and, ultimately, improve access for African patients,” Kaseya said.

He reaffirmed Africa CDC’s commitment to supporting member states, regulators, manufacturers and development partners in strengthening manufacturing readiness and expanding equitable access to innovative medicines across the continent.

The agency said it would also support the rollout of licensed products through the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism, aimed at improving access to essential medicines for African countries.

Africa CDC is the African Union’s specialised public health agency, established to strengthen health systems, improve disease surveillance and enhance emergency preparedness and response across AU member states.