In January 2025, Sinergium Biotech, in collaboration with Pfizer and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), announced the local production of the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20). This agreement positions Argentina as the first country in Latin America to manufacture this vaccine, strengthening the region’s capacity to address pneumococcal diseases.
The goal is to establish national production of PCV20 to improve access to the vaccine in Argentina and across Latin America and the Caribbean through PAHO’s Revolving Fund.
Pneumococcal disease remains a critical public health challenge, particularly in Latin America, where it disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations — children under five and older adults. In 2021, this disease caused approximately 155,000 deaths among children and 243,000 deaths among adults over 70 worldwide, with a regional impact of 3,345 and 18,000 deaths, respectively.
Given this reality, timely access to effective and updated vaccines has become urgent. The real challenge lies in ensuring their sustained availability in national immunization programs across the region through local production, technology transfer, and strategic partnerships that promote health autonomy under international standards.
Sinergium Biotech and Pfizer signed a collaboration agreement with a joint investment of approximately USD 20 million, allocated to training, engineering works, acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment, and technology transfer. Local production of PCV20 will enable faster distribution and competitive pricing throughout the region.
The initiative aims to achieve measurable results such as:
Local Production:
Argentina becomes the first country in Latin America to produce PCV20, reducing dependency on imports and strengthening health sovereignty.
Regional Access:
The vaccine will be made available to other countries in the region through PAHO’s Revolving Fund, promoting equity in access to essential vaccines.
Economic Impact:
Vaccine exports are expected to generate approximately USD 100 million in foreign exchange earnings for the country.
This partnership between Sinergium Biotech, Pfizer, and PAHO demonstrates how public–private collaboration can enhance regional vaccine manufacturing capacity, improve access to essential health technologies, and deliver significant economic benefits for Argentina.
