Bio Usawa Biotechnology, Ltd. (Kigali, Rwanda), a leading African biotechnology firm, and Sartorius Stedim Biotech (Aubagne, France), a global partner of biopharmaceutical manufacturing, have announced a partnership to accelerate Africa’s biopharmaceutical industry and address the continent’s urgent, dual health burdens in infectious and non-communicable diseases.
This collaboration will focus on developing and manufacturing affordable, high-quality monoclonal antibodies in Sub-Saharan Africa to tackle oncology, diabetes-induced eye diseases, infectious diseases, and autoimmune conditions. The agreement will also cover joint initiatives in workforce development, process innovation, and technology transfer.
“Africa is at a critical juncture in its health trajectory. We are battling a twin epidemic of infectious diseases and a rapidly rising burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Yet, lifesaving innovations often do not reach the continent due to high costs and late availability,” said Dr. Menghis Bairu, CEO of Bio Usawa. “Our partnership with Sartorius Stedim Biotech is transformational—it allows us to bring advanced biomanufacturing technology to Africa, train a new generation of African scientists, and produce innovative biopharmaceuticals that are accessible and affordable for our people.”
The partnership includes the following core pillars:
- Research & Development: Sartorius Stedim Biotech will collaborate with Bio Usawa to develop state-of-the-art biosimilar cell lines tailored to therapeutic needs in Africa.
- Workforce Capacity Building: The companies will jointly design and deliver training programs for the African biopharma workforce, nurturing local talent for long-term sustainability.
- Technology Enablement: Sartorius Stedim Biotech will supply state-of-the-art bioprocessing equipment, media, buffers, and consumables for both upstream and downstream (drug substance and fill-finish) manufacturing.
- Optimization: Sartorius Stedim Biotech will provide its deep expertise in process optimization, ensuring robust, scalable, cost-effective and compliant manufacturing processes.
- Analytical and QC Support: Sartorius Stedim Biotech’s capabilities in analytical characterization and quality control testing will strengthen Bio Usawa’s product quality assurance framework.
“At Sartorius Stedim Biotech, we believe in enabling breakthroughs that improve human health, no matter where patients live,” said Michaela Pischke, Head of Business Area Separation Technologies at Sartorius Stedim Biotech. “Our partnership with Bio Usawa reflects a shared ambition: supporting biopharmaceutical supply in Africa from the ground up. Through this collaboration, we aim not only to support technical innovation but also to empower local talent and infrastructure development to ensure long-term, self-sustaining impact.”
With this partnership, Bio Usawa will leverage the extensive biotech product development, clinical trial, and regulatory expertise of its leadership team — across both developed and developing markets — to drive innovation tailored for Africa.
This initiative represents a bold step forward in building Africa’s health sovereignty, delivering on the promise of equitable access to life-saving innovations and shaping the future of healthcare on the continent.