BioNTech secured up to €95 million from two EU bodies to support construction of an mRNA vaccine facility in Kigali, Rwanda, advancing regional vaccine production capacity in Africa. The funding underwrites a longer‑term plan to localize mRNA manufacturing and improve access to vaccine supply on the continent. Complementing capacity builds, RPI researchers unveiled a regenerated cellulose membrane with peptide ligands that outperformed chromatography columns for mRNA purification, claiming faster, higher‑efficiency removal of impurities relevant to large mRNA constructs. The membrane approach promises simplified downstream workflows and potential cost reductions in mRNA pipeline processing. The combination of regional factory funding and process innovations suggests industry focus is shifting from pilot vaccine production to scalable, lower‑cost supply chains that support distributed manufacturing and rapid local deployment.