Indian vaccine giant Serum plans African plant in global expansion

Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's biggest vaccine maker, poses for a picture after an interview with Reuters in the Alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland May 23, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's biggest vaccine maker, is considering setting up its first manufacturing plant in Africa as it looks to expand globally after its success in selling COVID-19 shots, its CEO told Reuters on Monday.

Africa was the only continent that did not have its own manufacturing capacity for COVID shots during the worst phases of the pandemic in the last two years, leaving it at the mercy of suppliers from overseas, including the SII.