There is an urgent need for Africa to develop local manufacturing capabilities for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) so as to reduce reliance on imports, enhance healthcare outcomes, and stimulate economic growth. But innovative technologies and international partnerships can help stimulate African pharma growth, revolutionize API production, and ensure self-sufficiency across the continent in a post-pandemic world.
Africa’s pharmaceutical industry is at a critical crossroads, with significant progress in downstream activities but a gap in upstream manufacturing, particularly in the production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).
APIs are essential components responsible for the therapeutic effects of medications, and local production is key to achieving self-sufficiency and long-term sustainability in healthcare across the continent. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored Africa’s dependence on imported medicines, exposing a vulnerability in the supply chain and highlighting the urgent need for local pharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure on the continent.
Building local capacity for API manufacturing will reduce reliance on imports, ensure a more affordable and reliable supply of essential medicines, and contribute to economic growth by creating jobs for highly trained professionals.
For local manufacturers of final pharmaceutical products, this development offers economic advantages, including a shorter supply chain, the ability to order smaller, more frequent API shipments, reduced costs for quality assurance, and a lower risk of substandard products entering the market.
Additionally, a thriving, independent API manufacturing sector is essential for a sustainable pharmaceutical industry in Africa. As long as local manufacturers remain dependent on imported APIs from India and China, the origin for more than 70% of all of Africa’s imported medicines, the continent will struggle to compete with its Asian neighbours and others.
For tuberculosis (TB) and HIV medicines, for instance, Africa imports more than 80% of products used.
Several pharmaceutical companies in Africa are making significant strides in producing local APIs for their manufacturing processes.
For instance, Emzor Pharmaceuticals in Nigeria is actively involved in producing APIs for anti-malaria medications, while API for Africa (APIFA) is working to enhance local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity across Sub-Saharan Africa.
This commitment to strengthening local capabilities is also exemplified by the Pretoria-based CPT Pharma’s efforts to tackle upstream manufacturing challenges and build a more robust pharmaceutical infrastructure. We are on a mission to revolutionize API production locally. The company develops, optimizes, and commercializes cost-effective technologies for APIs that treat TB, HIV, and non-communicable diseases.
Supported by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), CPT Pharma established a pilot plant in 2017 which achieved Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification and a license in 2020 from the South African Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to manufacture APIs.
It serves as a proof-of-concept hub for new technologies and provides material for regulatory compliance and clinical trials.