5 March 2026 — The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the H3D Foundation have signed a partnership agreement to strengthen drug and vaccine research and development and scientific capacity across Africa through collaboration in early-stage research, training and capacity strengthening, and information exchange aligned with shared innovation priorities.

The collaboration will engage regional platforms, including the Grand Challenges African Drug Discovery Accelerator (GC ADDA) and ACHIEVE Africa (Accelerating Health Innovation, Equity, and Development of Vaccines and Biologics in Africa), an initiative designed to build the continent’s end-to-end research and development ecosystem for vaccines and therapeutics, share best practices, and support and connect efforts addressing unmet global health needs.

Prof. Nicaise Ndembi, Deputy Director General and Regional Director of IVI’s Africa Regional Office, said: “Strengthening the African drug and vaccine research and development ecosystem requires sustained collaboration, shared expertise, and investment in people and networks. Through this partnership with the H3D Foundation, we are advancing scientific capacity and locally driven innovation aligned with Africa’s public health priorities.”

Prof. Kelly Chibale, Founder and Director of H3D, said: “The GC ADDA vision of  a future where African patients thrive from innovative drug discovery solutions tailored to their health needs is well aligned with that of ACHIEVE Africa. As a broader public health strategy for preventing, treating, and managing diseases, complimentary modalities are needed to provide patients and communities with an arsenal of interventions that are scalable and accessible.”

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The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is an international organization dedicated to advancing vaccine discovery, development, and delivery—especially for vulnerable communities. Through research, partnerships, and innovation, IVI enhances global health, strengthens pandemic preparedness, and ensures equitable access to life-saving vaccines worldwide.

The H3D Foundation was established in 2019 to complement the work of the University of Cape Town Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre, in order to create an absorptive capacity for securing, building and retaining African scientists within innovative R&D. Since 2021 H3D Foundation has partnered with the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations to focus on driving capacity strengthening for drug discovery and development in Africa, by scaling existing programs initiated by the H3D Centre and identifying new development opportunities for young and mid-career scientists in the region.