KAMPALA — Members of Parliament on the Health Committee have urged Dei Biopharma Vaccines Manufacturing Plant to boost research and innovation to combat emerging tropical diseases in Uganda and Africa. After touring the facility on September 24, MPs expressed concern about diseases like red eyes, maberg, and malaria.
Noah Mutebi Wanzala, MP for Nakasongola Constituency, emphasized the need for intense research and development in these areas, praising the facility as a vital regional asset. “We ask you to really do intense research and development around that area,” he said. Mutebi also advocated for research on chronic diseases.
The MPs, guided by Chairman Dr. Patrick Wakida and Board Pharmacist Dr. Arthur Kayanya, recognized Dei Biopharma’s ventures into under-invested areas, including vaccine manufacturing, oncology products for cancer treatment, nutraceuticals, and injectable medicines.
Dr. Samuel Opio, Deputy Chair of the Health Committee, noted these areas’ potential for increasing access to affordable medicines, addressing a substantial burden in Uganda, East Africa, and the region. “These areas have significant potential for increased access to affordable medicines, addressing a substantial burden in Uganda, East Africa, and the region,” he said. He also highlighted Uganda’s reliance on imports, with 70% of consumed products imported and only 20-30% locally manufactured.
Dr. Opio urged Dei Biopharma to share information with the community, ensuring transparency due to government investment. “Our goal is to promote local production, reducing reliance on imports and increasing access to essential medicines,” he said.
Dr. Arthur Kayanja defended delays, citing drug manufacturing’s meticulous nature. “We’re taking all necessary steps to ensure our products meet the highest standards,” he said. Dei Biopharma focuses on treating debilitating diseases like HIV and Alzheimer’s using state-of-the-art messenger RNA (mRNA) facilities.
Dr. Kayanja attributed delays to miscommunication and misconceptions about drug manufacturing complexity. “We’re not making pastries, we’re making medicine,” he emphasized, highlighting rigorous processes. “We’re committed to making a meaningful impact in the pharmaceutical industry.”
Regarding production timelines, Kayanja assured, “We can’t guarantee immediate market release, but patient safety is our top priority.” He also mentioned that Dei BioPharma is working on anti-malarial drugs, with full production expected next year.
DEI BIOPHARMA MANUFACTURING PLANT (Details and Progress Status)
Under the facility that stands on a compus of 150 acres of land, Dei Biopharma Ltd will make the vital drugs for the region and beyond; including all types of vaccines on top of the mRNA vaccines, and other biological solutions listed as essential drugs including the Filgrastim, Erythropoietin, and Trastuzumab among several others.
Current Progress:
1. The Bio-tech Facility: The first biotech facility in Africa under US patent. These facilities will produce the latest cancer drugs, biosimilars, peptides, cell therapy, biologics, cytokines, therapeutic proteins, Gene therapy and vaccines including mNRA and others — subunit, recombiant, polysaccharide, and conjugate vaccines. The facility is fully compliant with FDA, EU-EMA and WHO standards.
*This is ready for production next year.*
2. State of the Art Injectables Facility ( *This also complete).*
3. The biggest Warehousing Facility in the region, complete with state-of the art cold chain technology capable of storing 60,000 pallets of mRNA and other vaccines, plus other pharmaceutical products *(This too is complete).*
4. The YKTM GLP Biotech Laboratories include the following components ;- Cancer research, QA/QC, drug discovery, gene therapy, cell therapy, mRNA therapeutics, vaccines, biosimilars and biologics. ( This facility, too, is complete).
5. The Generic Section: This will manufacture more than 150 products/different drugs and medicines. (This facility is complete. It’s the one going to start manufacture of anti-biotics next month.)
6. State-of-the-art Nutraceuticals Section: This facility will produce tablet, capsules, sachets, ointment, and syrup (under construction).
7. The Penicillin, Cephalosporin & Non-Beta Lactam Facility: (The design of these facilities has been completed as per the most stringent FDA, WHO and EU-EMA guidelines by consultants from the US and Europe, and their construction will be completed next year).
8. The Oncology/Cancer Manufacturing Facility has been designed to meet the most stringent FDA standards under EOL5 guidelines and technology (under construction).
9. The Virus Vaccines Facility: To be completed in the next year; will produce the following vaccines;-
(i) Tetanus Toxoid (TT) is a toxoid vaccine used to prevent tetanus.
(ii) Tetanus Diptheria vaccine, can prevent tetanus and diphtheria.
(iii) (Hep B) The Hepatitis B vaccine is also known as the first “anti-cancer” vaccine because it prevents hepatitis B, the leading cause of liver cancer worldwide.
(iv) (DTP-Hep B-Hib) Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis) or DTP, polio, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) are 6 infectious diseases that are particularly dangerous to babies. Combined immunisations enable maximum protection to begin as soon as possible after birth.
(v) (TIV / QIV) The most commonly used influenza vaccines are injected inactivated influenza vaccines. These come in a trivalent (3 strains; TIV) and quadrivalent (4 strains; QIV) design.
(vi) (PCV 10) The PCV-10 vaccine protects against infection by the pneumococcus bacteria, one of the most common causes of pneumonia in children.
(vii) (TCV) Typhoid conjugate vaccines (TCVs) are of particular interest to the global health community because they have the potential to overcome many of the challenges that impeded uptake of earlier vaccines.
(viii) COVID-19 Vaccine.
(ix) (HPV Bivalent) Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination: Three HPV vaccines—9-valent HPV vaccine (Gardasil 9, 9vHPV), quadrivalent HPV vaccine (Gardasil, 4vHPV), and bivalent HPV vaccine (Cervarix, 2vHPV)—have been licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All three HPV vaccines protect against HPV types 16 and 18 that cause most HPV cancers.
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