Ghana is advancing research into locally produced medicines through projects testing a herbal treatment for prostate health and assessing the effectiveness of a locally manufactured snake antiserum under different storage conditions.
The Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR), in partnership with the Dodowa Health Research Centre and Atlantic Life Sciences Ltd., is implementing the projects under the PharmaVax Ghana Research and Development Call for Proposals.
One project involves clinical trials of URO 500, a locally developed herbal medicine intended for prostate health. Researchers will assess its safety and efficacy to generate evidence that could support its registration with the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority.
If approved, the medicine could become more widely available in Ghana and other markets, providing another treatment option while supporting domestic pharmaceutical production.
The second project focuses on a locally produced snake venom antiserum. Researchers are expected to study how long the product remains effective under different storage conditions, with the findings intended to support its approval and improve availability.
The projects form part of efforts to strengthen Ghana’s pharmaceutical research capacity and develop medical products locally, potentially reducing reliance on imported treatments.
The initiative is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in collaboration with the National Vaccine Institute-Ghana. It is jointly funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Union.
