Private sector to scale ARC FMD vaccine production

The decision, approved on Monday, 21 September, is aimed at addressing the ARC's current manufacturing constraints and increasing the availability of its FMD vaccine during the outbreak.

Under conditional IP licensing agreements with the ARC, local and international companies will be able to manufacture the vaccine, while the ARC continues to expand its own production capacity.

The ARC currently cannot manufacture its FMD vaccine at scale because of manufacturing constraints.

The department says the ARC vaccine is an effective defence against the domestic FMD strains and requires a single annual administration.

The new licensing arrangement is intended to allow third-party manufacturers to help increase production while the ARC rebuilds and expands its own manufacturing capacity.

Minister of Agriculture Willie Aucamp said the decision would bring the private sector into production of the ARC vaccine for the first time.