Progress of Artemisinin
production in East Africa
Advanced Bio- Extracts Limited
Lisa Amenya
Perspective - who we are...
• Advanced Bio- Extracts Limited (ABE)
• Private company with four production
subsidiaries operating in the East
Africa region
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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.