EuBiologics, a Korean vaccine maker, announced on Wednesday that it signed an agreement with DEK Vaccines Ltd. of Ghana to transfer technology for producing oral cholera vaccines and supplying the vaccine’s raw materials. 

This agreement follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in September 2023.

The new agreement will enable DEK to manufacture EuBiologics' Euvichol-S directly in Africa. DEK, a Ghanaian vaccine manufacturer, established Kinapharma, a Ghanaian pharmaceutical company, in 2021 to secure vaccine sovereignty by building its own vaccine manufacturing facility.  DEK is constructing a finished cholera vaccine production facility with support from the European Investment Bank, the lending arm of the European Union.

DEK expects to launch the vaccine by the end of 2026 after completing the technology transfer and obtaining licensing. The amount of raw materials supplied by EuBiologics to DEK will be determined by considering the procurement plan of African manufacturers, DEK's market competitiveness, and demand in Central and West Africa, with a maximum annual supply limit of 30 million doses.

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI), in collaboration with EuBiologics, developed a simplified oral cholera vaccine (Euvichol-S) and has been supporting the development of local vaccine manufacturing capacities in Africa. The IVI stated that the transfer of finished dosage production technology to DEK is a significant step in disseminating technology that will increase the production of oral cholera vaccines, which are in short supply globally, while lowering costs.

An official at EuBiologics said, “The technology transfer of finished oral cholera vaccine and the signing of this contract for the supply of raw materials means the diversification of cholera vaccine sales, which used to be concentrated on UNICEF. Following the cholera vaccine, we will support local production of finished products for typhoid vaccine and meningococcal vaccine, and we expect stable sales growth and profitability by expanding sales of raw materials for public vaccines.”

Meanwhile, EuBiologics announced in a public filing that it has signed a contract with UNICEF for the supply of oral cholera vaccine (Euvichol-Plus) worth $8.77 billion. The contract value is equivalent to 12.64 percent of EuBiologics’ 2023 revenue, and the contract period extends until Sept. 29.