South Korea-based International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) in West Africa, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to partner across three areas: 1) to establish IPD as a regional Centre of Training Excellence for Biomanufacturing to equip talented young people, particularly young women, with specialised skills in vaccine research, manufacturing, production, and distribution;  2) to support manufacturing and technology transfer of existing vaccine technologies relevant to Africa to increase vaccine manufacturing on the continent; and 3) to conduct end-to-end vaccine development including lab-to-lab vaccine and process development, and to strengthen Good Clinical Practice and regulatory pathways. 

With IPD’s expansion into new capabilities supported by global funders, IVI’s training sessions aim to provide essential, practical knowledge designed to strengthen capacity in all aspects of biomanufacturing.

Capacity-building is a core area of strategic interest outlined by the MOU, with training sessions on-site at IPD beginning directly following the signing ceremony. These sessions will pay particular attention to technology transfer and project management.