clinical research it is gaining more and more strength in the country and a clear example is the inauguration of the VaxThera laboratory in Medellín. This is a Colombian company from Sura that focuses on the research and development of biologics. In addition, by the end of this year they hope to have a vaccine production plant ready in Rionegro (Antioquia).
In dialogue with PortfolioJorge Emilio Osorio, President of VaxTheraspoke about the investment and the investigations that are being carried out.
They recently opened the research and development laboratory.
(See: This will be the Chinese company that will produce vaccines in Bogotá).
what was the investment of the project?
Yes, it is our research headquarters. It is a laboratory of approximately 700 square meters, which had an investment of close to US$4 million. There we will have the highest technology, such as mRNA, viral vectors and other systems. We are going to take the first steps for the design of the VaxThera vaccines.
Who funded those resources?
They are VaxThera’s own resources through Sura, who is our main ally.
In the laboratory, what kind of investigations do you hope to develop?
VaxThera comes from Vax, which is vaccines and Thera, from therapy. In our environment we do not have much access to treatment, so we are also going to aim to bring knowledge and technologies to develop therapies against cancer and other chronic diseases. For example, we are going to need to have a way to produce drugs like insulin and the like.
How is the tropical vaccine research process going?
VaxThera has been working on the development of its own vaccines for two years. We started working on a universal vaccine against covid and it is already going quite well: it has passed all the preclinical trials and now we are preparing the clinical batches to have phase I and phase II studies next year.
With those for Zika, Chikungunya and yellow fever we have received funds this year to begin the design of these vaccines. Later, laboratory tests would come to be sure that the vaccine is viable and preclinical trials to evaluate whether the vaccine works in animal models.
(See: When would vaccine production begin in the country’s first factory).
Another of the projects they have is the opening of a vaccine production plant in Rionegro, why there?
We are a regional project, because in Latin America there are only four countries that have the capacity to produce vaccines. That plant must have certain characteristics, for example, being close to an airport and there is the Rionegro airport; also other aspects that we evaluated at a national level and decided on this area. In addition, a special free zone must be designated so that vaccines and biologicals can be exported.
Will the vaccines be for the local market or how much do you expect to export?
First, we want to give priority to the national market, so that Colombians have access to vaccines and biologicals, but we also want to supply the needs of the region. Especially in diseases such as Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya.
When do you expect the plant to be ready?
It is going very well, several buildings are already there and we are putting a roof on one of the buildings. We believe that by the end of this year the physical work should be completed and by the middle of next year we should already have validation of the plant through international entities such as: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States and the European Agency of Medicines (EMA). We are also going to seek validation of the plant through Invima. So in a year from now we expect the plant to be ready to produce vaccines.
(See: This will be BogotáBio, the first vaccine factory in Colombia).
How many people do you expect to hire?
In fact, we have already started hiring personnel for the plant, because we need to train the personnel who will work there. And, eventually, VaxThera will reflect close to 500 direct jobs.
What kind of vaccines do you hope to produce in that plant?
In the national immunization program there is a list of 21 vaccines that are needed. So VaxThera is targeting you with several vaccines from that plan. Discussions are taking place with different companies that already have certain vaccines included in their portfolio and we are looking at the technology transfer process, to be sure that these vaccines can be produced in Colombia.
What production capacity would the plant have?
We are going to have about 100 million doses a year in the first phase. Later on, we will have the capacity to produce other technologies, such as mRNA vaccines, and for this we are acquiring other equipment that will allow us to produce 50 million doses of mRNA vaccines per year. In other phases, we have enough land to have other production units.
What other projects do you have?
Now we are closing a very important agreement with the Butantan Institute of Brazil, which has more than 120 years of tradition in the production of vaccines and biologicals. This is going to be a great south-south partnership to work in teams in the region.
(See: Medellín will have a vaccine factory).
CLAUDIA QUINTERO RUEDA
Journalist Portfolio
2023-06-10 03:33:04
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