JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday officially launched the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research's (CSIR) FuturePharma facility in Pretoria to advance pharmaceutical innovation and domestic manufacturing.
The CSIR, South Africa's national scientific research organization, established the open-access biomanufacturing facility to bridge the gap between early-stage laboratory research and commercial production.
In his address, Ramaphosa described the launch as a milestone in South Africa's efforts to strengthen its pharmaceutical ecosystem and boost domestic capacity to manufacture medicines.
"The FuturePharma facility signals our resolve as South Africa to harness science, technology, and innovation in pursuit of sustainable development," Ramaphosa said.
He added that the new facility will provide specialized infrastructure and technical expertise for pharmaceutical process development, formulation testing, scale-up, and technology transfer, enabling local researchers and biotech enterprises to translate innovation into market-ready products, including indigenous active pharmaceutical ingredients and biotherapeutics.
Reflecting on the supply chain vulnerabilities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, where African nations rely heavily on imported medicines and vaccines, Ramaphosa stressed that developing local manufacturing capabilities is vital to safeguarding public health.
"The pandemic was a reminder that health security, economic resilience, and national development are interconnected," Ramaphosa said, noting that the initiative supports broader African Union goals for regional health self-reliance. ■