Dei BioPharma, a Ugandan biotechnology company, has secured patent rights for its Ebola and Mpox vaccines, marking a significant milestone for Africa’s scientific innovation. The announcement was made by the company’s founder, Dr. Matthias Magoola, at the 4th International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2025) in Durban, South Africa.
Dr. Magoola revealed that the company is awaiting a technical inspection of its Drugs and Vaccines Manufacturing Facility near Kampala and is poised to be recognized as Africa’s Contract Drug Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO). “We are prepared to become the continental CDMO for APIs, biologics, vaccines, oncology, mRNA, and cell and gene therapy,” he stated.
The Ebola vaccine patent employs mRNA technology to encode the virus glycoprotein in a lipid-nanoparticle formulation, allowing faster, safer, and scalable production without the use of live virus. The Mpox vaccine uses a similar mRNA platform, providing rapid manufacturing capabilities that reduce Africa’s dependence on external suppliers during outbreaks. Dr. Magoola described this achievement as a “defining moment in Africa’s scientific story,” positioning the continent toward self-reliance in vaccine production.
At the conference, Uganda’s Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Monica Musenero, called for increased investment in research and development, stressing that translating scientific knowledge into profitable industries is vital for Africa’s economic and health transformation.
Raji Tajudeen, Deputy Director-General of Africa CDC, emphasized the importance of health sovereignty, urging Africa to strengthen its research and vaccine production capacity. Dr. Magoola noted that Dei BioPharma could accelerate Africa CDC’s goal of manufacturing 60 percent of vaccines used on the continent from 15 years to just seven years.
These new patents build on Dei BioPharma’s existing work in active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing in Uganda and its portfolio of over 100 patents in oncology, infectious diseases, and advanced therapeutics, aiming to establish a self-sustaining biomanufacturing ecosystem in Africa.
The company’s facility in Matugga, Uganda, will serve as a hub for producing vaccines, biosimilars, and RNA-based therapeutics, supporting African-led solutions for regional health challenges. Its mRNA platform is also adaptable for other endemic diseases such as Marburg and Lassa fever.
Dr. Magoola’s achievements have earned him international recognition, including the African Excellence & Personality Award 2025, a Lifetime Achievement Award in Canada, and Uganda’s Faces of Science Award for advancing pharmaceutical manufacturing.
“This patent is more than scientific recognition—it is continental empowerment,” Dr. Magoola remarked. “African scientists are now protecting African lives with African inventions.”
Dei BioPharma’s success highlights the transformative potential of homegrown innovation in improving health outcomes across Africa, while creating jobs, building regional capacity, and fostering economic growth through reinvestment of intellectual property.
