Batavia Biosciences, a Netherlands-based CDMO, agreed to collaborate with Vaccine Biotechnology City (VBC) and MEVAC, two organizations in Egypt. The partnership aims to enhance local vaccine manufacturing capabilities, focusing initially on measles, rubella, and rotavirus.
Batavia will license proprietary processes, analytical methods, and production systems to VBC and MEVAC, to enable them to produce vaccines locally and meet international standards. The collaboration builds on a previously signed license agreement for measles and rubella vaccines, with negotiations for rotavirus vaccines currently underway.
Regional Center for Capacity Building in Biomanufacturing
This partnership positions Egypt which, along with Morocco, was recently selected as headquarters for the Regional Center for Capacity Building in Biomanufacturing (RCCN), as a vital player in vaccine manufacturing, contributing to greater vaccine self-reliance for the Middle East and Africa. By supporting local production, this initiative aims to ensure wider access to affordable vaccines, particularly in regions most impacted by vaccine-preventable diseases.
VBC, a biopharmaceutical company established as part of Egypt’s national strategy to localize vaccine manufacturing, is leading the effort to produce vaccines that meet global standards. MEVAC, which focuses on animal health vaccine development, brings its manufacturing expertise and infrastructure to the collaboration. Both organizations are supported by the Egyptian Vaccine Manufacturers Alliance (EVMA), a national initiative driving vaccine production efforts across the country.
Batavia Biosciences’ role as a CDMO involves leveraging its expertise in upstream and downstream process development, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance to accelerate vaccine production and delivery.
“This collaboration reflects our mission to deliver affordable and accessible vaccine solutions to regions where they are most needed,” explained Ahd Hamidi, strategic partnership director at Batavia Biosciences. “By enabling local vaccine production, we aim to empower Egypt as a critical player in the fight against preventable diseases in Africa and beyond.”
