South Africans to develop a vaccine to Group B Streptococcus

Locals to develop a vaccine to curb infant meningitis
Taschica Pillay | 2017-05-02 09:09:35.0

This vaccine will be given to pregnant women to protect the unborn child. Group B Streptococcus infects children in their first month of life, when they are most vulnerable. File photo
Photograph by: MARIANA BAZO
A South African company will announce plans today to develop a vaccine to treat one of the leading causes of sepsis and meningitis in infants.
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The announcement will be made at the Innovation Effect Africa Conference at Durban’s International Convention Centre.

The conference, convened by international nongovernmental organisation Path, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Leapfrog Investments, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and Wellcome Trust, brings together industry leaders to explore opportunities to advance African-led innovation to improve health, spur economic growth and end poverty.

Morena Makhoana, CEO of Biovac, the company at the forefront of the effort , said the Gates foundation was funding development.

“The partnership takes us into developing products locally rather than looking overseas. Hopefully when the product is successful we can manufacture the vaccine from scratch in South Africa.”

He said clinical trials would begin in about four to five years.

Makhoana said it was the first time that the Gates foundation would fund vaccine development by an African company.

South Africans to develop a vaccine to Group B Streptococcus
Source: Virology News