Author: bpc

Durban, South Africa – JSE Limited listed Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Limited (APN), a global multinational specialty pharmaceutical company, is pleased to confirm that one of its wholly-owned South African subsidiaries, Aspen SA Operations (Pty) Limited (“Aspen SA”), has confirmed a non-binding term sheet with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, two of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (“Johnson & Johnson”), that will form the basis for negotiation of a definitive agreement on the manufacture and sale of an Aspen-branded COVID-19 vaccine throughout Africa. That agreement would expand the existing technical transfer and manufacturing agreements between the parties to grant Aspen SA the rights to: In addition, Johnson & Johnson would grant Aspen a license to the enabling intellectual property for this purpose. The term of the grant of rights and supply of COVID-19 drug substance, subject to the signing of the definitive agreement, would be until 31 December 2026. The non-binding term sheet contemplates a good faith undertaking between the parties to discuss the expansion of the agreement to include any new versions of the drug substance, such as those developed for new variants or as a different formulation for administration as a booster, and the applicable terms thereof. Stephen Saad, Aspen Group Chief Executive said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the inequitable access to vaccines globally. This is evident no more so than in Africa which has historically had no option but to import 99% of its vaccine requirements. Those regions with manufacturing capacity and capabilities have enjoyed ready access to COVID-vaccines, those without have not. Africa remains vaccine constrained, preventing an effective response to the need to protect Africans against the virus. We are most grateful to Johnson & Johnson for their confidence in collaborating with Aspen to address these challenges.” “Through our contract manufacturing partnership with Johnson & Johnson, Aspen has been able to manufacture over 100 million doses of the Janssen COVID-vaccine to date, almost all of which have been supplied to Africa, and today, we are pleased to share the progress being made that would enable Aspen the rights to manufacture and sell Aspen’s own brand of the vaccine in Africa. This has the potential to represent a bold step forward in sustainably capacitating Africa with the ability to manufacture Aspenovax and release it exclusively for supply to African customers. A COVID-19 vaccine made in Africa for Africa.” Stephen Saad added, “As with the solution found over a decade ago resulting in voluntary licenses for antiretrovirals used in treating HIV/AIDS, we hope that this potential license agreement and related technical transfers might serve as a blue-print to assist in capacitating Africa and other developing markets and in so doing ensure that we can truly live and give substance to our global commitment that we are not safe until we are all safe.” President Cyril Ramaphosa, African Union COVID champion said,  “The effectiveness of our response as the African continent to the COVID-19 pandemic has been severely hampered by the grossly unequal distribution of COVID vaccines across the world. Today’s landmark announcement between Africa’s Aspen Pharmacare and Johnson & Johnson is the culmination of months of hard work with, among others, the African Union, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust, in developing production capacity on the continent. This announcement has the potential to make an important contribution to addressing vaccine inequality and building Africa’s capacity to meet its own vaccine needs now and into the future.“ Strive Masiyiwa, African Union special envoy on COVID and Head of the AVAT Trust, said “The biggest and boldest step that Africa took through the Africa Vaccine Acquisition Trust and African Union, was signing a contract with Johnson & Johnson for 400 million doses for the continent, the majority to be produced by Aspen. Today’s announcement is an important milestone. It gets us one step closer to securing Africa’s future vaccine production and ensures that the gross vaccine inequality we witnessed in the early  part of the pandemic is not repeated.” “We welcome this agreement. It is a major development which will help reduce the inequities Africa is facing in accessing COVID-19 vaccines. This cooperation and technology transfer arrangement is an important step forward towards increasing Africa’s manufacturing capacity and the push to ramp up access to vaccines and other key medical interventions,“ said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa.

Gqeberha, South Africa – Aspen, a global multinational specialty pharmaceutical company, earlier today welcomed Kenyan President, His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta, to its world class flagship manufacturing site in Gqeberha. President Kenyatta’s visit to Aspen forms part of a broader collaboration and deepening of ties between South Africa and Kenya to lessen Africa’s dependence on pharmaceutical importers and to strengthen the continent’s capacity to address its own public health needs. During his visit President Kenyatta witnessed Aspen’s technical capacity to manufacture and distribute human vaccines for a global market in accordance with international standards and discussed areas of possible cooperation between Aspen and Kenya. Stephen Saad, Aspen Group Chief Executive said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated dependence on non-African suppliers to meet African healthcare needs. Aspen is providing a local solution to this need and is committed to working together with Kenyan authorities and their counterparts in strengthening pharmaceutical and health security on the continent. The answer to equitable access to vaccines and other critical lifesaving medicines is to capacitate Af­­rica to serve its own people. Aspen has been able to assist in achieving this goal through the manufacturing capabilities that exist at our sterile manufacturing facility in Gqeberha. It is, for the sake of health security and sustainability, critical that African countries collaborate locally and with the international community to ensure security of demand, underwritten through long-term committed offtakes, and the facilitation of technology licenses and transfers.” Presidents Cyril Ramaphosa and Uhuru Kenyatta met in Pretoria on 23 November 2021 at which time they discussed the latest developments around the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the important matter of vaccine manufacturing and distribution. They reaffirmed their call for the fair and equitable distribution of vaccines.

Gqeberha, South Africa – Aspen, a global multinational specialty pharmaceutical company, earlier today hosted the Honorable Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Ebrahim Patel who officially opened Aspen’s world class general anaesthetics production line at its Gqeberha-based flagship manufacturing site. This manufacturing capability will convert Aspen’s Gqeberha facility into one of the largest manufacturing hubs for general anaesthetic products in the world. The unveiling of the general anaesthetics line follows shortly on the heels of the visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa in March 2021 at the start of the production of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Officiating at the opening of Aspen’s general anaesthetics facility, Honorouable Minister Ebrahim Patel said, “This facility consolidates the Eastern Cape as the most significant advanced pharmaceutical hub on the African continent and it will create local jobs. The start of operations is timely as anaesthetics are a class of drug that, among other uses, supports the treatment of COVID-19 patients on ventilators in intensive care units.  South Africa has to date imported the general anaesthetics needed in our healthcare system and the new production line will provide an important medical product for the local market, assuring security of supply, and the bulk of it will be exported across the world, contributing to global patient support.” Stephen Saad, Aspen Group Chief Executive said, “The opening of our general anaesthetics manufacturing line is a significant milestone for Aspen as it will serve as a crucial anaesthetics hub for this critical medication. This is one of the world’s largest general anaesthetics production lines and it positively positions Aspen’s integrated supply, marketing, and sale of anaesthetics globally. Our investment of more than R3.0 billion in this facility is the single largest investment in the pharmaceutical industry in the country and aligns with our commitment to supporting the industrialisation of South Africa.” Sterile Focus Brands, comprising anaesthetic and thrombosis products, is one of Aspen’s key business segments and contributes 28% of revenue. The general anaesthetics production line extends Aspen’s sterile footprint and complements the Group’s strategic vision of delivering quality, affordable medicines using high-technology pharmaceutical equipment, contributing to improved health outcomes for patients.