South Africa opens FuturePharma to develop and make critical medicines at home
President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the CSIR's FuturePharma facility in Pretoria, an open-access site meant to turn lab research into locally made medicine ingredients and cut reliance on imports.
South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) launched its FuturePharma facility in Pretoria on 7 October, at an event officiated by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The site is designed to help the country develop and manufacture critical medicines locally, the Presidency said.
The facility targets the gap between lab and factory
FuturePharma is an open-access facility for developing and producing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), the substances in a medicine that do the therapeutic work. Researchers, innovators and companies can use its equipment and expertise to take promising lab results through development and scale-up towards manufacturing.
That step is often where promising ideas stall. The Presidency said the facility will also support technology transfer and skills development, giving local scientists and companies a place to test whether a process works at larger scale.
Small-molecule and biologic ingredients under one roof
The CSIR has said FuturePharma can make both small-molecule and biologic APIs, with flexible space for combined batch and continuous-flow process development, built to current Good Manufacturing Practice standards, according to an earlier CSIR announcement. The CSIR said the facility would be assessed against those standards and the requirements of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.
“Our intent is to be proactive in pandemic preparedness through innovative medical countermeasures accessible to African populations and beyond at a fraction of the cost.” — Dr Rachel Chikwamba, CSIR Group Executive for Advanced Chemistry and Life Sciences
Less dependence on imports during the next health emergency
The CSIR has pointed to Africa’s dependence on imported medicines, particularly for chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease. The Presidency said local API production should reduce that dependence, strengthen security of supply and improve the country's preparedness for future pandemics and health emergencies.
The facility is a platform rather than a factory for any single drug, so its impact will depend on which researchers and companies use it and what they bring to market. The Presidency said the launch would bring together cabinet members and leaders from government, science and industry.
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