African biotech: the potential to transform physical and economic health in Africa

By Yaw BEDIAKO (Dr)& Collen MASIMIREMBWA(Prof)

According to the Africa Constituency Bureau, only five percent of medicines used on the continent are produced locally, and Africa accounts for only three percent of all medicines produced globally.

This is problematic not just from an economic perspective, but also because African populations are the most genetically diverse on the planet. This genetic diversity means that a larger proportion of Africans are likely to respond differently to many widely available drugs than the populations for which the drugs were originally developed in the Global North.

For example, among studies which show that lack of diversity in clinical trials impacts treatment outcomes, one found that 30-40 percent of African users of an antiviral HIV drug experienced serious neuropsychiatric side effect.

In Europe, only 5-10 percent of subjects experienced similar effects. Most clinical studies exclude African populations altogether, making them less applicable to the African people in terms of efficacy and priorities. This dynamic exacerbates challenges to disease control, treatment and management in Africa.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the differences among populations in vaccine efficacy: an AstraZaneca vaccine was refused by the South African government because its efficacy was less than 60 percent against the B.1.351 variant in its population, compared to a 66.7 percent efficacy in the UK and Brazil. These significant differences, coupled with the vaccine’s delayed roll-out in Africa, surfaced concerns about African exclusion in clinical trials amid a global crisis.

Growing African pandemic preparedness and the biotech ecosystem

Africa’s potential as a drug and vaccine innovation catalyst through its rich genetic diversity is being developed by African-led institutions like Zimbabwe-based African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST) and Yemaachi Biotech, leaders of novel genomic research in Africa, for Africa.

Ghanaian-based Yemaachi Biotech, in partnership with the Francis Crick Institute, is investigating and comparing immune response to COVID-19 vaccines in Ghanaian- and UK-based populations, to determine the role of genetic diversity and environment in determining the strength and quality of vaccine-induced immune response.

It is hoped that the results of this study will inform more rational and efficacious vaccine design across diverse populations. Africa’s rich genetic diversity must also serve as the basis for drug development for African populations beyond vaccines. By implementing clinical trials in populations in Africa, the biotech industry has the potential to transform the continent into a global leader in life science and pharmaceuticals.

AiBST, founded in 2002, is developing research competence in drug discovery on the continent. To help address efficacy differences, AiBST has developed an inclusive genetic test which considers varied genomic responses to different medicines in African populations. The test will be shared across the continent to advance precision medicine and inform personalised drug selection and dosage in Africa.

Basing development on the genetic profiles of the intended target populations will improve safety and efficacy. Applying advanced genetic testing capabilities also positions the institute to conduct pilot studies on patients with diseases such as tuberculosis, gastrointestinal tumours, breast cancer, stroke and sickle cell disease.

An opportune time

Although the number of African researchers and institutions engaged in genomics and biotechnology research is growing, they face challenges, including costs such as duties levied on equipment and reagents, unreliable basic infrastructure such as electricity and water, and the training of an insufficient number of people in advanced research. Underlying these barriers is the fact that African governments generally do not prioritise investment in genomic and biotech research proportionate to its long-term value.

Africa can no longer afford this thinking. Establishing a robust biotechnology industry capable of meeting the health needs of the African people will require significant dedication, collaboration and investment.

Governments must recognise the critical role of genomic research and precision medicine in preparing for emergencies and maintaining the health of populations. Global development partners, philanthropists and investors must also recognise the significant contribution that a flourishing biotech sector would make to the long-term economic development of Africa.

The Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is addressing one such challenge – excessive duties imposed on research supplies and equipment. If successful, this will help make the African biotech sector more competitive by providing access to the means to create affordable, quality medicines on the continent as called for in the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa.

Revised regional trade and policy agreements, paired with collaboration among private and public stakeholders, can help establish a self-reliant biopharmaceutical sector that produces effective and affordable drugs on the continent for the people of Africa.

The potential of African biotech to revolutionise the health and economy of the African continent will only be realised through the creation of an enabling regulatory and financial environment that promotes significant investment in infrastructure to enable advanced research and innovation.

About Science for Africa Foundation 

The Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) is a pan-African, not-for-profit, public charitable organisation created to support, strengthen, and promote science and innovation in Africa.

Yaw Bediako is a Ghanaian immunologist and entrepreneur. He obtained a PhD from Northwestern University in the United States and post-doctoral fellowships in Kenya and London. In 2020, Yaw founded Yemaachi Biotech to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets for cancer, that work uniformly well irrespective of genetic background.

Collen Masimirembwa, Professor, founding President and Chief Scientific Officer of the African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Zimbabwe, will establish a research and innovation ecosystem, including training scientists and establishing centres of excellence in genomic medicine research, for the sustainable development of genomic and pharmaceutical medicine capability in Africa.

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