The mRNA technology-transfer hub was set up in South Africa to help manufacturers in low-income countries create their own vaccines.

South African company Afrigen Biologics has created its own version of Moderna’s mRNA vaccine against Covid-19, with plans to go to clinical trials at the end of the year.

Afrigen is part of the mRNA technology-transfer hub, an initiative set up by the World Health Organization (WHO) last year to develop the vaccine manufacturing capacity in low- and middle-income countries.