Breakthrough Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine tailored for Eastern Africa marks major step toward disease control
The control of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the Eastern Africa Region is now a step closer thanks to
a newly registered first ever quadrivalent FMD vaccine tailored for region.
As one of the most infectious livestock diseases in the world, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) presents a
constant global threat to animal trade and country economies. Endemic throughout Eastern Africa, FMD
can devastate livestock productivity and severely compromise small-scale farmers’ livelihoods and food
security. Vaccination is proven to effectively control FMD, yet historically, there has not been a
registered quadrivalent vaccine that could protect against all strains circulating in Eastern Africa.
But now, the region is one step closer to FMD control.
At the FAO Headquarters in Rome on the 26th of September, the AgResults FMD Vaccine Challenge
Project formally announced that the first quadrivalent FMD vaccine tailored for Eastern Africa was
registered in August. By successfully registering in one of the six project Target Countries (Rwanda,
Uganda, Ethiopia, Burundi, Tanzania, and Kenya) and meeting the Project’s Target Product Profile (TPP),
Biopharma (BIOPHARMA – Société de Productions Biologiques et Pharmaceutiques) qualified to become
the project’s first “Competitor.” And with that, the AgResults FMD project officially launched its Vaccine
Distribution Cost-Share Phase.
Launched in February 2020, the AgResults FMD Vaccine Challenge Project is an eight-year, US$17.34
million Pay-for-Results prize competition managed by GALVmed that supports the development and
uptake of high-quality quadrivalent FMD vaccines tailored to meet the needs of Eastern Africa. The
project is being run in two phases: In the Development Phase, participating manufacturers work to
develop a regionally relevant FMD vaccine that meets certain predefined criteria. It was during this
phase that Biopharma, a vaccine manufacturer based in Morrocco, went through the necessary
processes to develop and register a regionally specific quadrivalent vaccine in Rwanda that meets the
project’s TPP.
In the Vaccine Distribution Cost-Share Phase – which kicked off on October 1, 2024 – the project uses a
cost-share mechanism to drive uptake and distribution of high-quality FMD vaccines. The cost-share
aims to reduce the cost-per-dose for buyers, enabling public and private sector actors to better combat
FMD through access to more effective vaccines.
“We are thrilled to recognize the registration of Biopharma’s FMD vaccine in Eastern Africa,” said
Project Manager Team Lead Nina Henning of GALVmed. “Looking ahead, the cost-share will catalyze
initial distribution of approved vaccines through both public and private sector channels, with the goal
of ultimately reducing the negative impacts of FMD on farmer livelihoods.”
During the launch event, representatives from AgResults’ donor Steering Committee, the AgResults
Secretariat, and Project Manager GALVmed reflected on the project’s progress over the last four and a
half years and acknowledged the significance of reaching this milestone.
“We recognize the importance of motivating vaccine manufacturers to support long-term efforts to
control FMD in the region,” said Parasto Hamidi, Team Lead for the AgResults Secretariat. “It is exciting
to see the progress so far, which indicates that we are getting closer to developing a stable market
around FMD control and transforming the lives of smallholder farmers and the health of their animals.”
Dr. Anna Rose Ademun, Commissioner of Animal Health & Chief Veterinary Office (CVO) /WOAH
Delegate for Uganda and current Chair of the FMD Regional Advisory Group (RAG) for Eastern Africa,
reflected on the importance of this achievement.
“In availing these high-quality FMD vaccines, today marks a significant milestone for the management
and control of Foot and Mouth Disease in Eastern Africa,” said Dr. Ademun. “We commend the
AgResults FMD Team and donors for this initiative and encourage the support to make these vaccines
accessible to livestock farmers.”
The launch event, which took place during the first FAO Global Conference on Animal Health Innovation,
Reference Centers, and Vaccines, was an opportunity for the FMD Project Team to raise awareness
among key stakeholders in the region, including CVOs and other government representatives, about
upcoming activities. Ms. Henning also presented on the project’s goals and anticipated impact at a
conference session titled “Innovative Approaches to Strengthen the FMD Vaccine Value Chain in Eastern
Africa through Pay-for-Results” the previous day.
At the launch event, GALVmed CEO Carolin Schumacher underlined the importance of this work and the
impact on smallholder farmers and their communities across Eastern Africa.
“Our mission is to enhance the availability, affordability and accessibility of quality vaccines for the
treatment of animal diseases that significantly impact African communities,” said Dr. Schumacher. “I am
thrilled that our collaboration has produced groundbreaking innovation in the form of a new
quadrivalent FMD vaccine for Eastern Africa. This vaccine will play a vital role in controlling the endemic
disease and could help reduce poverty in the region.”
Structured as a Pay-for-Results prize competition, the FMD Vaccine Challenge Project is unique in how it
uses incentives to engage vaccine manufacturers in the region. These monetary incentives will play a key
role in encouraging the public and private sector adoption to control of FMD in Eastern Africa in the
years to come.
“Since 2020, the project has been focused on encouraging vaccine development, and now we are at a
critical moment where the first regionally specific quadrivalent vaccine has been registered in Eastern
Africa,” said Christopher Brett, AgResults’ donor Steering Committee Chair and Lead Agribusiness
Specialist at the World Bank. “With a tailored vaccine, the region has a better chance of controlling the
spread of FMD and improving the livelihood of smallholder farmers and their animals.”