Members of Parliament’s Health Committee visited Dei BioPharma, a cutting-edge biotechnology and pharmaceuticals firm, currently developing a state-of-the-art drugs and vaccines manufacturing facility at Matugga, near Kampala.
The MPs, led by Chairman Dr. Patrick Wakida and Board Pharmacist Dr. Arthur Kayanya, toured the sprawling 150-acre facility, which boasts 10 advanced production units dedicated to vaccines, generics, nutraceuticals, oncology, penicillin, cephalosporins, non-beta-lactam, injectables, WFI, parenterals, medical devices, and ophthalmic solutions.
The facility also houses the YKTM GLP Biotech Laboratories, specializing in cancer research, quality assurance/control (QA/QC), drug discovery, gene and cell therapy, mRNA therapeutics, biosimilars, biologics, and vaccines.
Five critical components of the project, including the Generics section, warehousing facility, biotech laboratories, injectables facility, and vaccines plant, are already complete and ready for production.
Dei BioPharma, which was recognized as the best pharma company at the African Excellence Awards organized by MEA Markets in London, is set to revolutionize drug production in Uganda.
The Matugga plant is expected to create up to 40,000 professional jobs and will introduce vital therapies, including anticancer drugs and novel vaccines specifically targeting diseases prevalent in Africa.
Among its many achievements, Dei BioPharma, under the leadership of Dr. Magoola—a renowned Ugandan scientist—has developed the first US-patented chemical drug for treating malaria and the first mRNA universal vaccine for malaria.
Additionally, the company is advancing mRNA vaccines for neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, and HIV/HPV.
Once fully operational, the Matugga-based plant will supply essential drugs, including vaccines, to the region and beyond. Among these are mRNA vaccines and other critical biological solutions, including Filgrastim, Erythropoietin, and Trastuzumab.
The facility is also the first in Africa to be fully compliant with the US FDA, EU-EMA, and WHO standards. It will produce the latest cancer drugs, biosimilars, peptides, cell therapies, biologics, cytokines, therapeutic proteins, and gene therapies.
The State-of-the-Art Injectables Facility, already complete, is another highlight of the project.
The warehousing facility is the largest in the region, with advanced cold chain technology capable of storing 60,000 pallets of mRNA vaccines and other pharmaceutical products.
The YKTM GLP Biotech Laboratories are designed to support cancer research, QA/QC, drug discovery, gene therapy, cell therapy, mRNA therapeutics, vaccines, biosimilars, and biologics. Meanwhile, the Generics section is preparing to manufacture over 150 different products, with antibiotics set to begin production next month.
The upcoming Nutraceuticals section will manufacture tablets, capsules, sachets, ointments, and syrups. The design phase for the Penicillin, Cephalosporin, and Non-Beta Lactam Facility has been completed, meeting stringent FDA, WHO, and EU-EMA guidelines, and construction is expected to be finished next year.
The Oncology/Cancer Manufacturing Facility is being built according to the most rigorous FDA standards under EOL5 guidelines and is currently under construction.
The Virus Vaccines Facility, slated for completion next year, will produce vaccines for tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis B, polio, and more, including the COVID-19 vaccine.
Other vaccines set to be produced include PCV-10 for pneumonia, Typhoid Conjugate Vaccines (TCVs), and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
