The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is providing $40 million in funding to support the expansion of mRNA vaccine production and accessibility in Africa. This funding will be divided among several recipients, including Belgian biotech company Quantoom Biosciences and two African vaccine manufacturers. The Gates Foundation has earmarked $20 million for Quantoom Biosciences to enhance its low-cost mRNA research and manufacturing platform called Nfinity.
Quantoom Biosciences’ platform incorporates three manufacturing technologies: Nplify for DNA production, Ntensify for RNA production, and Ncapsulate for the production of lipid nanoparticles. According to the Gates Foundation, this modular approach is designed to address common bottlenecks in existing mRNA research and manufacturing processes. Additionally, the platform has the potential to significantly reduce the need for highly specialized experts in the field.
The Gates Foundation is also allocating $5 million each to the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) and Biovac to enable them to access and utilize Quantoom’s technology for the development of locally relevant vaccines.
In summary, the Gates Foundation is distributing $40 million in funding to support the expansion of mRNA vaccine manufacturing in Africa, with a significant portion allocated to Quantoom Biosciences for the enhancement of its modular mRNA research and production platform. Other organizations, like IPD and Biovac, will receive funding to leverage this technology for the development of vaccines tailored to their local needs.