KIGALI, Rwanda and SAN FRANCISCO and SAN DIEGO, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bio Usawa Biotechnology Ltd. (Bio Usawa) and ServareGMP (Servare) today announced a strategic partnership to establish advanced monoclonal antibody manufacturing capabilities in Africa, directly addressing the critical healthcare access gap affecting patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
This transformative collaboration spans four core pillars:
- Local Biomanufacturing Infrastructure: Building and operating advanced GMP manufacturing facilities in Africa for the production of high-quality monoclonal antibodies.
- Workforce Development & Training: Implementing industry-leading training programs to cultivate a skilled biopharma workforce across the continent.
- Process Innovation: Deploying next-generation process optimization and cost-reduction technologies to make antibody therapies more affordable.
- Emergency Response Capability: Establishing rapid development and deployment protocols for mAbs to respond to pandemics and regional health crises.
Leveraging Industry-Leading Expertise for Healthcare Transformation
The partnership combines Bio Usawa's deep understanding of African healthcare markets with Servare’s extensive biopharmaceutical development expertise. Together, the organizations bring decades of proven experience across biotherapeutic development, clinical testing, current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), regulatory approvals, and global commercialization of breakthrough biomedicines, including many of the leading blockbuster therapies on the market today.
This collaboration is grounded in a shared commitment to addressing the growing therapeutic access disparity in LMICs. The partnership's strategic focus aligns with recent initiatives by both organizations: Servare’s collaboration with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to develop countermeasures against the Nipah virus, and Bio Usawa's partnership with Bioeq AG for BioUcenta, a biosimilar of Lucentis® targeting retinopathies in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“ServareGMP was founded on the belief that world-class biomanufacturing should be globally distributed,” said Gary Pierce, Executive Director of ServareGMP. "Through this collaboration, we are not only addressing immediate healthcare needs but also building sustainable infrastructure that will benefit future generations of African patients. Together, we will impact African healthcare by empowering communities and saving lives.”
“This initiative is about more than medicine—it’s about building self-reliance, equity, and resilience,” said Richard Chin, M.D., Bio Usawa’s co-founder and Chair of the Board of Directors. “We are proud to co-create a future in which life-saving therapies are widely available at an affordable price for patients in Africa and in other LMICs. We are building the foundation for a more just and resilient global healthcare system.”
A Model for Global Health Equity
The partnership extends beyond cost reduction to fundamentally restructure how biotherapeutics are developed, produced, and delivered in LMICs. By investing in local talent, infrastructure, and innovation, the partnership seeks to ensure that patients in Africa can access the same life-saving therapies as those in high-income countries—both during crises and for ongoing care.
About Biotherapeutic Access in LMICs
Monoclonal antibodies are a cornerstone of modern medicine. However, cost and access barriers prevent their widespread use in many LMICs. This partnership will change that by enabling local production and distribution—cutting costs, reducing reliance on imports, and improving response times in health emergencies.
About Bio Usawa Biotechnology
Bio Usawa is a leading African biotechnology company dedicated to expanding access to affordable, high-quality biosimilars across the continent. Through strategic industry partnerships and deep regional expertise, Bio Usawa is pioneering a future where life-saving biomedicines are developed, manufactured, and distributed by Africans, for Africans—and beyond.
For more information, visit www.biousawa.com.
About ServareGMP
ServareGMP is a specialized non-profit biotechnology organization founded by industry veterans with extensive experience across the biopharmaceutical value chain. The organization's leadership team brings proven expertise spanning discovery, development, manufacturing, regulatory approval, and commercialization of innovative therapeutics.
For more information, visit www.servaregmp.com.
Media Contacts:
For Bio Usawa:
Daniel Levine
Levine Media Group
+1 510-280-5405
danny@levinemediagroup.com
For ServareGMP:
Enrique Cowen
ecowen@servarebiologics.com
