Moderna Suspends Construction of Vaccine Plant in Kenya Due to Low Demand
The biotech firm halts its $500 million project as vaccine orders in Africa cease, reflecting a significant downturn in COVID-19 vaccine demand on the continent.
- Moderna has paused its plans to build a $500 million mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility in Kenya, citing insufficient demand for COVID-19 vaccines in Africa.
- The company has not received any vaccine orders for Africa since 2022, leading to over $1 billion in losses and write-downs.
- Despite the project halt, Moderna remains committed to ensuring equitable vaccine access in Africa through its global manufacturing network.
- The decision aligns with Moderna's broader strategy to resize its COVID-19 vaccine production in response to the reduced global demand.
- Moderna is also focusing on developing vaccines for other diseases prevalent in Africa, such as HIV and malaria, which are still in early stages of development.