South African president launches vaccine manufacturing plant

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME
Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has opened a new vaccine manufacturing facility that he says will boost the country’s capacity to make its own inoculations for diseases including COVID-19. Ramaphosa said the plant in Cape Town — a partnership between a U.S.-based biotechnology firm, the government and South African universities — will help improve Africa’s ability to produce vaccines. The factory was also launched by Patrick Soon-Shiong, the South African-born founder of NantWorks, a multinational biotechnology firm based in the United States. South African media report that the company has invested about $200 million to start the facility.