Moderna Halts Plan to Build Vaccine Plant in Kenya Due to Low Demand

DLHA Staff writer

Moderna, a multinational pharmaceutical company specialising in mRNA based vaccine production, said early in April that it had paused its plans to build a vaccine manufacturing facility in Kenya, following a post-pandemic decline in demand for COVID-19 vaccines.

The move is in line with Moderna's strategy to review its manufacturing network to cut costs.

The company had said in 2022 that it would invest about $500 million in the Kenya facility and supply as many as 500 million doses of its mRNA vaccines to Africa each year.

It also said that it would start filling doses of its COVID vaccine in the continent as early as 2023.

But Moderna has not received any vaccine orders for Africa since 2022 amid waning demand globally, the company said.

"Given this, and in alignment with our strategic planning, Moderna believes it is prudent to pause its efforts to build an mRNA manufacturing facility in Kenya," the company said.

The realignment of Moderna's strategy is a setback to efforts in Africa to cut reliance on vaccine and drug imports from outside the continent.

The drug maker said it had taken more than $1 billion in losses and write-downs related to the cancellation of previous orders from Africa.

Related:

COVID-19 Pandemic: Advice for Staying Safe for the African Public

Stay informed with reliable and updated resources on Covid-19

Published: May 5, 2024

© 2024. Datelinehealth Africa Inc. All rights reserved.

Permission is given to copy, use and share content for non-commercial purposes without alteration or modification and subject to source attribution.