Overview
- Phase 1 safety testing is underway at Wits PHRU following SAHPRA approval, with the public launch held on November 11 in Soweto.
- The South African Medical Research Council is coordinating the program, with a planned Phase 3 at five sites in Johannesburg, Durban and East London comparing the candidate to Euvichol Plus.
- Biovac developed and is manufacturing the vaccine end to end in Cape Town after a 2022 technology transfer from the International Vaccine Institute.
- Officials say trial outcomes could enable use in Africa by 2028 and globally by 2028/2029, with Gavi incentives positioning the product for African procurement.
- Funding comes from the Gates Foundation, Open Philanthropy, Wellcome and the ELMA Vaccines & Immunization Foundation as countries contend with outbreaks and constrained global supply.