Batavia Bioscience, a Dutch contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for biopharmaceuticals, has formed a strategic technology partnership with an Egyptian vaccine company.
The collaboration aims to jointly develop a Rotavirus vaccine. Batavia was acquired by CJ CheilJedang in 2021, with CJ CheilJedang investing $206 million and holding a 76% stake in Batavia.
On March 18, Batavia signed the strategic partnership with VBC and MEVAC, specialized vaccine companies in Egypt. The main objective of the partnership is to strengthen vaccine development and production capabilities in Egypt, with financial support from the Egyptian government.
VBC is a company focused on the development and commercialization of vaccines with the goal of domestic production, while MEVAC specializes in the development of animal vaccines for poultry, cattle, and deer. Both VBC and MEVAC are receiving support from the Egyptian government’s “Egypt Vaccine Manufacturing Alliance” (EVMA) policy to promote vaccine domestic production.
Following the licensing agreement for Measles and Rubella vaccines, Batavia plans to expand its capabilities through the development of the Rotavirus vaccine. Batavia will provide expertise in areas including process development, analytical method establishment, vaccine production, and quality control to VBC and MEVAC.
Batavia envisions expanding its vaccine business across Africa and the Middle East, using Egypt as a gateway, aiming to establish itself as a global leader in the vaccine industry.
Africa and the Middle East are regions with significant vaccine shortages. In fact, due to vaccine supply instability, there have been delays in vaccination programs, leading to outbreaks like the measles epidemic that has caused severe damage worldwide.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of measles cases in Africa last year reached 85,745, a 16.75% increase compared to the previous year.
Ahd Hamidi, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Batavia, stated, “This collaboration is part of Batavia’s efforts to increase vaccine accessibility in regions where vaccines are most needed. We will actively support the establishment of local vaccine production systems, helping Egypt become a vaccine hub for Africa and the Middle East, including its own country.”
