build vaccine plant in Africa last week. Cambridge-based Moderna, Inc. proposed to invest up to $500 million in the project, which is expected to deliver up to 00 million doses of mRNA vaccines each year, including the company’s COVID-19 shot.
According to the US drug maker, apart from the production of drug substance, the facility will also include bottling and packaging capabilities. The country and location for the proposed site is yet to be decided. “We expect to manufacture our COVID-19 vaccine as well as additional products within our mRNA vaccine portfolio at this facility,” Moderna’s chief executive Stephane Bancel said in a statement.
Participating in a news conference following the announcement, the top public health official of the African continent, John Nkengasong, noted that while any effort to address the region’s health needs are welcomed, Moderna’s proposed facility will not tackle the challenge of securing COVID-19 vaccine doses now.
