Egypt has marked a milestone in biopharmaceutical development with the foundation stone laying for the Gennvax vaccine facility, set to be the largest integrated production complex in the Middle East and Africa. The project advances vaccine localization and national drug security. The ceremony drew senior officials and healthcare leaders.
The foundation stone ceremony took place on Tuesday at Orascom Industrial Parks in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. The project aims to build a fully integrated manufacturing complex covering the entire vaccine production cycle, aligning with Egypt's Vision 2030 to boost exports and long-term healthcare resilience.
Attendees included Hassan El Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade; Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population; Walid Gamal El-Din, Chairperson of the Suez Canal Economic Zone; and Amr El-Batrik, CEO of Orascom Industrial Parks. Also present were Ali El-Ghamrawy, Chairperson of the Egyptian Drug Authority; Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din, Advisor to the President for Health Affairs; Nima Abid, WHO Representative in Egypt; and Hisham Stait, Chairperson of the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement.
Backed by $150 million in total investments, the initiative received the Golden Licence from the Prime Minister for its strategic value and export potential. The facility will adhere to top international quality standards to secure WHO prequalification, opening doors to global procurement.
Upon operation, it will produce 29 vaccines and serums through technology transfer deals with 15 international partners, achieving an annual capacity of 270 million doses per production line. The project anticipates creating 500 to 700 direct jobs, supported by integrated digital systems for efficiency and quality control. Sustainability features include solar energy solutions, fitting Egypt's green strategy.
Gennvax, a subsidiary of El Daba Holding founded in 1957 with operations in Egypt and abroad, underscores Egypt's push to localize pharmaceutical production and establish itself as a vaccine hub for the Middle East and Africa.