In cooperation with Oak Crest Institute of Science based in California, the H3D Foundation has announced the award of $721,209 in funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through MATRIX, a USAID project to advance the research and development of innovative HIV prevention products for women. The awarded Integrated Special Project (ISP) will support a pilot project aimed at evaluating an innovative continuous flow technology for cost-effective manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in South Africa.

MATRIX initiated the ISP programme to support projects that will add value to and strengthen the capacity of research and development to be conducted in the Global South.

The pilot project consists of technology transfer and capacity building, facilitated by Oak Crest, to University of Cape Town (UCT) scientists who will deploy a Synthetron system at UCT for the rapid and efficient synthesis of antiretroviral agents used to prevent and treat HIV. Once proof-of-principle has been demonstrated, the technology will be evaluated further by CPT Pharma for possible adoption.

Successful completion of this pilot project will lead to eventual widespread, decentralised manufacturing of medicines throughout South Africa. Integration with the existing pharmaceutical formulation infrastructure is hoped to eventually democratise access to medicines in South Africa, and beyond, and reduce dependence on outside sources.