Ghana’s PharmaVax program has awarded eight grants to support collaborative research between Ghanaian institutions and pharmaceutical companies, aiming to bolster vaccine and pharmaceutical development within the country and the region. The program, valued at €2 million, will facilitate the translation of scientific discoveries into practical, locally-produced health solutions.
These grants are distributed across a range of projects focusing on developing child-friendly malaria medicines, plant-based therapies for chronic diseases, and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate antibody discovery for malaria and Mpox. The funding is being split between the PharmaVax Ghana Programme and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU).
The initiative represents a significant step toward strengthening Ghana’s research and innovation landscape, reflecting a growing commitment to locally driven health solutions. Ghanaian partners are contributing an additional €425,000 to the implementation of their projects, demonstrating a commitment to advancing health through innovation.
The event, hosted by the National Vaccine Institute (NVI) and the German international development cooperation, GIZ, under the PharmaVax Ghana Programme, underscored the program’s collaborative nature. The grants were presented during the ‘Research Meets Manufacturing’ Award Ceremony last Wednesday, which was co-hosted by the government, academia, industry, and development partners.
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, commended the EU, GIZ, and the NVI for their crucial role in bridging the gap between scientific research and local pharmaceutical manufacturing. He emphasized that these partnerships are vital for enhancing national security, reducing reliance on imported medicines and vaccines, and creating job opportunities.
Mr. Akandoh stated that the ceremony, which brought together the government, academics, industry, and development partners, was ‘more than just the award of grants’; it was a deliberate effort to close the gap between the laboratory and the production line. He also highlighted the need for strengthening the entire pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem through increased funding, regulation, technology transfer, skilled human resources, financing, and procurement arrangements. The Minister stressed the importance of prioritizing manufacturability, raw material availability, regulatory requirements, affordability, and impact measurement.
The General Manager of Entrance Pharmaceuticals and Research Centre, Dr. Evelyn Biriwaa Ofei, detailed five guiding principles for effective collaboration: co-designing research from the outset, sharing risks and rewards, promoting bilateral learning, aligning research with national priorities, and measuring success through impact.
She further underscored the importance of intellectual property protection and technology transfer mechanisms, encouraging industry experts to collaborate with universities and academics in manufacturing facilities. The German Ambassador to Ghana, Frederik Landshöft, stated that the initiative showcased Ghana’s growing partnership with Germany in research, technology, investment, and manufacturing. He affirmed the EU’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s capacity for local research, innovation, and manufacturing.
The awardees included the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, partnering with Aspee Pharmaceuticals Ltd and the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission; the University of Cape Coast and Kash Chemist Ltd; the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and Atlantic Lifesciences Ltd; the CSIR-Water Research Institute, collaborating with DEK Vaccines Ltd, minoHealth AI Labs Ltd and INCAS Diagnostics & Services Ltd; and Central University in partnership with Ernest Chemists Ltd.
The eight projects are expected to contribute to translating Ghanaian research and innovation into locally manufactured health products and strengthen Ghana’s pharmaceutical sector.
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Source: Graphic Online
