President Cyril Ramaphosa will officiate the launch of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) FuturePharma facility in Pretoria on Wednesday.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Presidency said the launch marks an important milestone in efforts to strengthen South Africa’s pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem and expand domestic capacity to develop and manufacture critical medicines and pharmaceutical products.
FuturePharma is an open-access pharmaceutical innovation and manufacturing facility established by the CSIR to support the development and production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and other pharmaceutical technologies, while strengthening the country’s pharmaceutical value chain.
“The facility aims to bridge the gap between promising laboratory research and the development, scale-up and commercialisation of pharmaceutical technologies. It will provide researchers, innovators and industry partners with access to specialised infrastructure and expertise to advance technologies towards manufacturing, while supporting technology transfer and skills development,” the Presidency said.
FuturePharma will also support local API and medicine production, contributing to reduced import dependence and strengthening security of supply.
The facility is expected to play a role in South Africa’s preparedness for future pandemics and health emergencies by strengthening local pharmaceutical capabilities.
The launch will bring together members of the Executive, senior government representatives, and stakeholders from the science and innovation community and industry. – SAnews.gov.za
