06/06/2025 | News release | Archived content
Buenos Aires, June 6 2025.- International experts visited the Argentine pharmaceutical company Sinergium Biotech to support the development of the messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccine against influenza A(H5N1). The visit is part of the efforts of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to strengthen regional preparedness capacities for future pandemics, within the framework of the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme.
The event brought together members of the scientific committee, which provides technical support to the project and is composed of international experts in vaccine development, including specialists from CEPI, MPP, WHO, and PAHO. The technical team from Sinergium Biotech also participated, as lead of the consortium that includes the South African company Afrigen and the Argentine Institute of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology (IMPaM CONICET-UBA). Project updates were presented, and feedback was provided by the committee.
During the visit, Sinergium Biotech presented its progress in the technological development of the vaccine. The experts conducted a site visit to the company's facilities and provided recommendations to support the advancement toward upcoming phase 1 studies and preparations for potential production in compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
Eva Jané Llopis, PAHO/WHO representative in Argentina, highlighted the relevance of this effort: "The advancement of this project to develop an mRNA-based vaccine candidate in Argentina for the prevention of avian influenza A(H5N1) is of great importance, as the viruses that cause this disease pose a significant public health risk due to their widespread circulation in animals and the potential to cause a future pandemic in humans."
She added: "Technology transfer is critical for the health sovereignty of the Region of the Americas in terms of essential supplies, such as vaccines. It strengthens both regional and global production and capacities, with Argentina playing a leading role."
Alejandro Gil, CEO of Sinergium Biotech, underlined the importance of the meeting: "At Sinergium, we celebrate the progress achieved and the opportunity for scientific exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration that brings together researchers from both the private sector and academia, as well as representatives from PAHO, WHO, and MPP. We reaffirm our commitment to continue doing everything within our reach to develop vaccines based on the mRNA platform and to contribute to solutions for the entire Region of the Americas."
Amin Khan, who chaired the technical-scientific committee, remarked: "The model that we are applying here - where a country with technical capacity leads the development and then transfers the knowledge - is the way to prevent the inequities we experienced during COVID."
As next steps, the Sinergium Biotech technical team will complete the preclinical tests, while advancing the construction of a new mRNA-based vaccine production plant, which is expected to be operational by 2026. Argentina will share the lessons learned and results of this development with other low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) through the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme launched by WHO in 2021.
Technological innovation for public health
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the potential of mRNA-based vaccine platforms to offer rapid and effective responses. Drawing on this experience, the WHO launched the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme in 2021, aiming to establish production capacities in 15 LMICs.
Sinergium Biotech, as a key partner of the Programme, is leading efforts to develop a vaccine candidate against the H5N1 influenza virus using mRNA technology. This endeavor not only seeks to strengthen the productive capacity to bolster the national and regional health sovereignty, but also to share the knowledge, materials, and technology with other Programme partners, thus promoting a regional network for production and response to health emergencies.
This activity has the support of Global Affairs Canada (GAC)