Africa bears the brunt of many of the world’s most devastating human and animal infectious diseases, many of which have no licensed or effective vaccines available. Covid highlighted that less than 1% of all human vaccines used on the continent are locally produced. The continent also accounts for a dismal 0.5% of patent applications globally.
Vaccines have proven to be effective in addressing pandemic diseases and are a critical cost-effective public health intervention in Low and Middle-Income country settings. The delivery of this life saving intervention differs significantly from the way pharmaceuticals are developed, produced and distributed – the efficiency of vaccine initiatives is significantly improved the closer the value chain is to the patient population being served.
These vaccine-delivery cycle elements are usually structured on a disparate basis with each managed on a silo basis separate from the other; with Government Policy, Regulation and health system management providing the coordination mechanism. The result is a largely inefficient process with efforts duplicated, communication stilted, and responsiveness compromised. Internationally, the developing trend is to bring the elements closer together to achieve:
Rubic One Health wants to play its role in “Protect one … protect all …” by leveraging and building the capability of local scientists, coupled with trusted technology partners to develop vaccines for underserved markets. It aims to achieve this by:
an attorney by profession, is a leading figure in South Africa’s business and political world. He opened the first black empowerment law practice in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga in 1981 and was appointed as the first Premier of Mpumalanga Province in 1994 by the late President, Mr Nelson Mandela. In 1995, Dr Phosa was invited by former Nobel Peace Prize recipient, the late Elie Wiesel, to accept a PhD in Law at Boston University, Massachusetts. Dr Phosa has a wealth of experience in the public and private sector, as well as on the international stage.
is a medical doctor, occupational medicine practitioner and researcher with 20 years’ experience in translational, implementation and behavioural research. He is part of the leadership of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) international clinical research site based in Durban, South Africa and has completed many studies and is widely published in the field of infectious diseases. Over the past 20 years, the international research unit has produced ground-breaking solutions to the management of HIV and TB, particularly for lower- and middle-income countries. He led the development of the first course-work HIV program for health professionals in South Africa and a subsequent NIH/PEPFAR-funded medical education grant to enhance locally relevant academic research. Dr Pillay serves as clinical and research lead for RUBIC One Health.
is a Chartered Accountant with more than thirty years commercial experience, half within large corporate groups, who has risen through the financial ranks in a diverse range of industries (FMCG, Retail and Publishing). He has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Wits Health Consortium for the last twenty-years, which has developed into the market leading organisation in the South African health academic sector
is an applied economist with over 20 years of health sector experience. He was a recipient of the Nelson Mandela Economics Scholarship (University of Maryland) and the Oliver Tambo Fellowship (UCT). Julian has a wealth of experience in working with governments, corporates, and international development partners. Dr Naidoo served as health sector lead Partner/Director for one of the top four international advisory companies and is currently the Head of the Wits Development Enterprise a Syndicate of Wits Health Consortium.
is a research fellow at University of South Africa (UNISA) attached to the Department of Agriculture & Animal Health and the TM African School of Public and International Affairs. He serves as an independent agriscience consultant. He is the former chair of the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI). Recently, he was appointed by the Minister for DALRRD as chair of the Animal Health Biosecurity Task Team to investigate outbreaks of diseases. Dr Moephuli was the President and CEO of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) South Africa, a position he assumed in 2006 where his responsibility included, inter alia, management of the ARC’s Onderstepoort Veterinary Research and Animal Production campuses. Shadrack graduated with a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut, USA and has a number of scientific publications. Dr Moephuli serves as lead for animal vaccine development in RUBIC.
Dr Dan Mosia is currently the Chief Commercial Officer of the Wits Health Consortium (a wholly owned entity of the University of the Witwatersrand) responsible for unlocking business opportunities and strategic direction in the healthcare space. He has extensive experience in the healthcare industry, having worked in both the private and NGO/academic sectors. His employment history amongst others includes Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in four companies in the healthcare industry. In addition to his professional career, Dan is also both a crop and livestock farmer with great interest in the development of black commercial farmers. He is a director in the Dipalemo Group of Companies which provides Strategic Coaching, Mentoring and Support Services to Emerging Black farmers. His recent entry into the wine industry as the Founder and Managing Director of Rockbelt Ridge Winery has further demonstrated his passion for Agrobusiness and food security for all South Africans. Dan was also a member of the Ministerial Recap Policy Review Task Team and contributed greatly to the development of revised policy of Rural Development and Land Reform
Rubic has signed a technology transfer and licence agreement with Dyadic International to use their C1 fungal expression system to develop and produce cost effective vaccines. Dyadic are a global biotechnology company focused on further improving and leveraging the patented and proprietary C1 expression system to help bring biologic vaccines and drugs to market faster, in greater volumes, at lower cost, and with new properties to drug developers and manufacturers to improve access and cost to patients
Rubic’s strategic partner and promoter is Wits Health Consortium (WHC). WHC is wholly owned by the University of the Witwatersrand that provides science and technology education and training, conducts research, supports clinical trials, and pursues entrepreneurial innovation in health. WHC has national and international experts who have specialist knowledge in vaccine research and development, infectious diseases and diagnostic services.
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