The German biotechnology company has developed a transportable vaccine manufacturing module at RNA messenger, able to respond flexibly and quickly to the appearance of new variants, particularly in Africa.
In 2020, Ugur Sahin, co-founder of Biontech with his wife, Özlem Türeci, had the intuition that the messenger RNA technology (mRNA) controlled by his company could constitute an asset in the rapid development of An effective vaccine against what would become the CVIV-19 pandemic. Thanks to a partnership knotted very early with the American Pfizer, the biotech was the first company to obtain the approval of its vaccine, today one of the most distributed in the world with 2.6 billion doses elapsed in more than one hundred and sixty country.
Two years later, Ugur Sahin hears this time accelerate large-scale broadcast of future mRNA-based vaccines. He unveiled, Wednesday, February 16, a transportable semi-automated manufacturing module of Vaccines at RNA Messenger, called “Bionateiner”. Holding in twelve containers, it is able to respond flexibly to a specific vaccine demand. Above all, it can be installed anywhere in order to produce doses in a quality equivalent to that of a highly industrialized country.
Very flexible technology
“The pandemic has taught us two essential things, entrusts Mr. Sahin to the world. The first is that there is no global vaccine production capacity. The second is that some regions, particularly in Africa , do not have sufficient access to these pharmaceuticals. Very early, we asked ourselves the question: what is the best way to ensure a technology transfer while ensuring the least variability of production and quality possible? “
Biontech, who has been doing research on messenger-based therapies, including individualized cancer treatments, anticipates that very flexible technology can accelerate the vaccine response to viruses in the least industrialized regions … provided you have the necessary machines. “We want to make sure there is a lasting form of equal access to vaccines. And when people on the spot can decide which vaccines they can do, it’s called for me of sovereignty” Sahin, however, intends to keep ownership of patents and licenses on its technologies, which is worthy of severe criticism of non-governmental organizations such as Amnesty International, which believes that Biontech should yield his rights.
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