Progress of Artemisinin production in East Africa

Advanced Bio- Extracts LimitedLisa Amenya

Perspective - who we are...

• Advanced Bio- Extracts Limited (ABE)

• Private company with four production subsidiaries operating in the East Africa region– African Artemisia Limited (Tanzania)– East African Botanicals Limited (Kenya)– East African Botanicals U Limited (Uganda)– Botanical Extracts EPZ Limited (Kenya)

Objectives

• To create a predictable, affordable supply of artemisinin and derivatives – feeding into the ACT chain.

• To inject a significant supply of artemisinin to solve industry shortfalls within a 2- year period.

• To contribute significantly to bringing the whole chain of ACT production to Africa, in a sustainable way.

Progress on production of artemisinin in East Africa

• Can production in East Africa be competitive? Under the right conditions – YES

• Raw material – Stable supply being built up rapidly.– Using a range of farming patterns in East Africa.

• Processing– Producing and selling small commercial quantities of

artemisinin.– Will be supplying more significant commercial

quantities of artemisinin by year end 2006.– About to commission a major artemisinin processing

and extraction plant in Kenya.– Production of artemisinin based derivatives from the

Kenya plant by mid- 2007.

Small scale production

Large scale production

Satellite extraction plant, Uganda

Crude artemisinin

Pure artemisinin

What we are offering…

• Supply of artemisinin and derivatives at predictable volumes and prices.

• To work with other extractors to purify and derivative their products.

• Long- term relationships with growers.

Challenges

• Market certainty – clarification of synthetics.

• Much more complicated than it appears.

• Economy of scale required.– To overcome technical challenges for cost

effectiveness– Too much fragmentation will not enhance

viability.• Focus on comparative advantages of

the region.• Financial support for technical

development and investment.