Argentina, Brazil to create mRNA vaccine development centres

To increase COVID-19 vaccine production capacities worldwide and expand access in the Region of the Americas, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has selected South American countries Argentina and Brazil to create two centres for the development and production of vaccines with messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. Sinergium Biotech in Argentina has been selected due to its extensive experience in the production of vaccines and other biologicals, and its capacity to develop complex products added to the experience in the distribution of these products to national and international levels in highly competitive countries. Meanwhile, in Brazil, the company in charge of carrying out this development will be the Bio-Manguinhos Institute of Technology in Immunology, which is part of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ). The installation of these two centres seeks to create the basis for the implementation of a regional collaboration that takes advantage of cooperation with the technology transfer centre located in South Africa, as well as cooperation with other production actors in the region in order to expand the productive capacity that benefits the entire region.