Investment Prospectus · 2025–2030

Vaccinating Africa
From Within

Establishing Africa's first thermostable, locally manufactured animal vaccine facility — reducing import dependence, protecting food security, and positioning Zambia as a regional biosecurity hub across Southern Africa.

US$12–13M
Annual Vaccine Imports · Zambia
US$1–2M
Feasibility Funding Sought
SADC
Regional Export Target
Background & Rationale

A Critical Gap in Southern Africa's Animal Health System

Zambia's animal production sector — spanning smallholder and commercial poultry and livestock — is a critical engine of food security, rural income, and national economic growth. Yet recurrent disease outbreaks continue to erode productivity and sustain deep dependence on imported veterinary vaccines.

Imported vaccines are frequently ill-matched to locally circulating strains and are constrained by fragile cold-chain infrastructure, severely limiting their effectiveness in rural and pastoral settings where disease pressure is highest.

This initiative proposes the establishment of a thermostable animal vaccine R&D and manufacturing facility in Zambia — structured through a public-private partnership model under a hybrid university-based incubation and joint-venture governance framework, with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of Zambia as primary institutional anchor.

Local manufacturing will reduce import dependence, improve vaccine effectiveness under field conditions, create high-quality scientific employment, and position Zambia as a regional vaccine supply hub across Southern Africa. The project aligns with Zambia's national industrialization goals and strengthens global One Health, biosecurity, and pandemic prevention frameworks.

Four Pillars of Transformational Impact

One Health infrastructure that creates economic value, protects livelihoods, and builds lasting regional capacity.

01

Food Security

Protecting poultry and livestock from devastating disease outbreaks that erode smallholder livelihoods and commercial operations across Zambia.

02

Economic Growth

Skilled scientific employment and import substitution across the vaccine value chain, retaining economic value within Zambia's borders.

03

Pandemic Prevention

Strengthening One Health biosecurity at the animal–human interface, reducing spillover risk and aligning with global health security frameworks.

04

Regional Leadership

Positioning Zambia as the SADC hub for thermostable animal vaccines — exporting cold-chain-free solutions to neighboring countries.

Priority Vaccines — Phase 1

Two Diseases. Transformational Impact.

Phase 1 focuses on the two highest-burden, highest-impact diseases in Zambia's animal health landscape.

Priority 1

Newcastle Disease Vaccine

Target: Poultry (Chickens)
  • 30–50% seroprevalence in Zambian backyard flocks
  • Over 10 million village chickens targeted in national campaigns
  • Thermostable, strain-matched NDV will be transformative
  • Cold-chain-free rural deployment at the core
Priority 2

Foot & Mouth Disease Vaccine

Target: Livestock (Cattle, Pigs)
  • Affects cattle, pigs, and all cloven-hoofed livestock
  • Restricts export markets and livestock trade across SADC
  • Genotype-matched formulation critical for herd protection
  • Thermostable platform enables deployment in remote areas

Future Pipeline

The facility is designed with modular, scalable architecture to accommodate future expansion into Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD), Infectious Bronchitis (IB), Avian Influenza (AI), and other high-priority diseases as capacity and market demand grow.

Implementation Roadmap

Four Phases to Commercial Launch

A disciplined, milestone-driven pathway from feasibility to commercial-scale thermostable vaccine production.

1
Months 1–6

Foundation Setting

  • Convene inaugural Steering Committee; ratify Terms of Reference and MOUs with all seven members
  • Prioritize donors: USTDA, USAID/DFC, Afreximbank, Gates Foundation
  • Engage IDC Zambia leadership; align on joint venture rationale, equity structure, and governance rights
  • Formalize Letter of Intent between BIOVAC Nepal and IDC Zambia; evaluate SPV options
2
Months 4–12

Resource Mobilization

  • Prepare and submit comprehensive feasibility proposals to USTDA, USAID, DFC, and priority donors
  • Develop detailed US$1–2M feasibility budget with cost-benefit projections
  • Register co-owned operating company in Zambia under IDC joint structure
  • Recruit Zambia-based core team: veterinary scientist, regulatory officer, lab technician, coordinator
✦ Milestone: Feasibility funding secured — US$1–2M · 2+ agreements executed · Project formally commenced
3
Year 1–2

Feasibility Assessment

  • Commission comprehensive NDV burden assessment: sero-prevalence, outbreak frequency, circulating genotypes
  • Assess FMD serotype prevalence in Zambian cattle and pig populations
  • Evaluate modular facility designs from pilot-scale (10L) to commercial scale (300L+)
  • Secure MoUs with 2–3 technology partners; negotiate IP protection and technology transfer frameworks
✦ Milestone: Business plan & investment case validated · Regulatory pathway finalized · Approved for Phase 2 investment
4
Year 2–5

Pilot Build & Commercialization

  • Construct GMP-aligned modular pilot facility at University of Zambia SVM campus or IDC industrial zone, Lusaka
  • Initiate pilot-scale production of thermostable NDV vaccine — genotype-matched to Zambian strains
  • Deploy cold-chain-free NDV field trials across 2–3 Zambian provinces
  • Engage DFC, AfDB, and impact investors for long-term commercial-scale facility financing
  • Initiate SADC regional export strategy — positioning Zambia as Southern Africa's thermostable vaccine hub
✦ Milestone: Commercial launch · NDV commercialized · SADC export initiated · Full-scale facility financed

World-Class Leadership Across Every Discipline

Seven specialists bringing complementary expertise spanning vaccine science, One Health, Zambian clinical research, regulatory affairs, and immunization strategy.

Prof. Kaampwe Muzandu
Prof. Kaampwe Muzandu
Acting Dean, SVM · University of Zambia
Zambian veterinarian recognized for One Health leadership spanning veterinary pharmacology, food safety, and epidemiology. Chairs ZAMRA's Technical Committee on Clinical Trials and Pharmacovigilance.
Michelo Simuyandi
Michelo Simuyandi, MSc
Technical Lead, ZVMI · CIDRZ
Molecular and Cell Biologist advancing vaccine R&D and bio-manufacturing capacity in Africa. Works at the interface of science, policy, and industrial development.
Dr. William Kilembe
Dr. William Kilembe, MBChB
CFHRZ · IAVI, Zambia
Physician-scientist with extensive experience in infectious disease and Phase I–III clinical trials. Helped establish Zambia as a key site for biomedical research in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. Musaku Mwenechanya
Dr. Musaku Mwenechanya
Senior Pediatrician, UTH · Chair, ZITAG
National leader in immunization policy. Chair of ZITAG, providing independent evidence-based guidance to the Ministry of Health on vaccine access and local manufacturing.
Dr. Fred Cassels
Dr. Fred Cassels, PhD
Formerly WRAIR · NIAID · Human Immunome Project
Biochemist and immunologist with deep expertise in vaccine development including adjuvant and delivery system studies, and preclinical and Phase 1–4 clinical trials for global health.
Dr. David Bunn
Dr. David Bunn, PhD
Independent Consultant · Formerly UC Davis
Leading One Health specialist on wildlife–livestock–human interface, zoonotic spillover risk, and thermostable vaccine deployment in pastoral and rural communities across Africa and Asia.
Dr. Dibesh Karmacharya
Dr. Dibesh Karmacharya, PhD
BIOVAC Nepal · CMDN · University of Queensland
Biotechnology scientist and entrepreneur advancing locally manufactured thermostable vaccines for LMICs. Leads BIOVAC Nepal integrating R&D, GMP manufacturing, and regulatory pathways. Champion for VIZ.

Vaccinate Africa From Within

We are seeking feasibility-phase funding and strategic partners to unlock this transformational initiative. Your investment will directly reduce disease burden, protect food security, and build lasting scientific capacity in Zambia and across Southern Africa.

US$1–2M
Feasibility Phase Funding Target
IDC Zambia
JV · SPV · University of Zambia
Contact the VIZ Steering Committee