Pretoria company aims to lead SA in making key TB drug ingredients

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV, Latest, Spotlight, TB

Though several South African companies are producing HIV and TB medicines, the active ingredients that go into these medicines are usually imported from India or China. Now, a local company is planning to break new ground by making the active ingredients for two important TB medicines in Pretoria. Catherine Tomlinson zooms in on the company’s efforts and outlines some of the obstacles to getting such local production off the ground.

Pretoria company aims to lead SA in making key TB drug ingredients

In-depth: HIV prevention shots and vaginal rings – this is why SA pilots have not yet started

Posted in: HIV, Latest

Last year Spotlight reported that pilot projects testing out a new HIV prevention injection and a vaginal ring in South Africa would start early in 2023. Yet, as delegates gathered for the SA AIDS Conference in Durban last week, those pilots hadn’t yet started. Alicestine October and Elri Voigt have the latest on the state of play with these critical projects.

In-depth: HIV prevention shots and vaginal rings – this is why SA pilots have not yet started

First HIV prevention injection approved in SA

Posted in: HIV, Latest

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority has authorised an injection containing the antiretroviral cabotegravir for use to prevent HIV infection, according to drugmaker ViiV Healthcare. Laura Lopez Gonzalez reports.

First HIV prevention injection approved in SA

SA expected to begin piloting HIV prevention shot in early 2023

Posted in: HIV, Latest

South Africa is expected to begin piloting the every-other-month HIV prevention shot early next year, according to the international medicine financing initiative Unitaid. New modelling shows that the injection could prevent as many as 52 000 new HIV infections in the next two decades. But to be cost-effective in South Africa, the research argues, the price of the injection must fall to levels drugmaker ViiV Healthcare says are unrealistic. Laura Lopez Gonzalez reports.

SA expected to begin piloting HIV prevention shot in early 2023

“I don’t like seeing anybody treated unfairly” – new leader of HIV Clinicians Society

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV, Latest

Juliet Houghton was recently appointed as the CEO of the Southern African HIV Clinician’s Society (SAHCS). As part of Spotlight’s Women in Health series, Bienne Huisman spoke to her about her life working in HIV, her new role at the SAHCS, the importance of being able to laugh, and the Shakespearian origins of her name.

Analysis: Vaccine partnership with US government boosts prospects for local production

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

Earlier this month Cape Town-based vaccine company Afrigen announced a formal collaboration with the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ (NIAID’s) Vaccine Research Centre. Catherine Tomlinson unpacks what this deal may mean for local production of vaccines for COVID-19 and other diseases.

Analysis: Vaccine partnership with US government boosts prospects for local production

SA company gearing up to make API

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest, TB

While various medicines are produced in South Africa, the active pharmaceutical ingredients going into these medicines are mostly still imported. Catherine Tomlinson reports on a local company that is trying to change that – starting with active pharmaceutical ingredients for tuberculosis and COVID-19 medicines.

New licenses could spark manufacture of COVID-19 pills in Africa

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest

Pharmaceutical companies Merck and Pfizer recently announced early results from clinical trials showing that two new antiviral medicines are highly effective in reducing COVID-19 deaths and hospitalisation. The Medicines Patent Pool then announced licensing deals with both companies that will allow for generic versions of the two drugs to be produced. Catherine Tomlinson unpacks the licenses and asks whether generic versions of these pills might now be made in Africa.

New licenses could spark manufacture of COVID-19 pills in Africa

High hopes for deal to unlock local COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

On Monday President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa will host the first World Health Organization-backed COVID-19 mRNA vaccine Technology Transfer Hub – an initiative designed to get the production of mRNA vaccines off the ground in Africa. Parties involved in the hub expect to hear as early as next week whether pharmaceutical companies with mRNA COVID-vaccines for COVID-19 on the market – Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech – will share their know-how with the hub. Chris Bateman reports for Spotlight.

High hopes for deal to unlock local COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing

Breakthrough hepatitis C medicines remain in regulatory limbo

Posted in: Latest

Over the last decade the treatment of hepatitis C, a virus that can infect and damage the liver, has been revolutionised by a new class of medicines called direct acting antivirals. Catherine Tomlinson investigates the regulatory obstacles that are limiting access to these breakthrough medicines in South Africa.

Breakthrough hepatitis C medicines remain in regulatory limbo

Op-ed: President Ramaphosa should support the COVID-19 IP pool

Posted in: Latest

Having pressed the imperative of equitable global sharing of COVID-19 health products, President Ramaphosa must now declare support for the Intellectual Property Pool for COVID-19, argues Professor Yousuf Vawda & Professor Brook K Baker.