The pharmaceutical company Biovac, in partnership with the SA Medical Research Council (SAMRC), started clinical trials for a candidate oral cholera vaccine in a move to reduce Africa’s dependence on imported medicines, reported Business Day (12 Nov 2025)
“If the candidate vaccine proves safe and effective, it will be the first product Biovac manufactures entirely ‘from start to finish,’ including the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
“Researchers will begin with a Phase 1 trial to test the safety of the candidate vaccine, a clear liquid administered with a dropper, in 40 adult volunteers.
According to Professor Glenda Gray, Chief Scientific Officer at the MRC and the trial's principal investigator, the pool of volunteers will be gradually expanded to include younger people, with the ultimate goal of providing it to children as young as one.”