Caring Cross and The Wellbeing Foundation Africa Formalise Strategic Collaboration to Advance Equitable Access to Advanced Biotherapeutics in Nigeria

Collaboration focuses on local manufacturing and health system integration for sustainable access to advanced therapies.

GAITHERSBURG, Md. and LAGOS, Nigeria, May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Caring Cross and The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) are pleased to announce the execution of a formal Memorandum of Understanding to advance equitable access to cutting-edge medical therapies, including CAR-T cell treatments and stem cell gene therapies, within the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The agreement is established for an initial term of one year, with the possibility of extension, and will be in effect from 24 April 2025 to 23 April 2026.

The Wellbeing Foundation Africa, established by Her Excellency Mrs. Toyin Ojora Saraki, is a distinguished non-governmental organisation committed to strengthening health systems and improving health outcomes across Nigeria and the African continent through policy advocacy, strategic partnerships, and frontline implementation. Caring Cross, based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, is a mission-driven non-profit organisation dedicated to expanding global access to life-saving cell and gene therapies through decentralised manufacturing models, technological innovation, and equitable frameworks.

This strategic collaboration, anchored in principles of scientific justice, ethical stewardship, and inclusive innovation, seeks to support the responsible localisation and sustainable integration of advanced biotherapeutics within Nigeria's healthcare ecosystem. Under the terms of the MoU, WBFA will lead high-level policy engagement, advocacy initiatives, and stakeholder mobilisation to facilitate regulatory alignment, legislative support, and public trust. Caring Cross will provide its technical expertise in the ethical development, manufacture, and delivery of CAR-T and gene therapies, employing open-access models that prioritise affordability and health system integration.

"Our collaboration with Caring Cross embodies a shared vision that the future of healthcare innovation must be universally accessible and ethically grounded," remarked Her Excellency Mrs. Toyin Ojora Saraki, Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa. "We are committed to ensuring that pioneering therapies reach all populations equitably, advancing both scientific progress and social justice."

Dr. Boro Dropulić, Director of Caring Cross, noted: "We are honoured to collaborate with the Wellbeing Foundation Africa to catalyse a model of health innovation that is driven by community needs, scientific rigour, and systemic equity. We aspire to make Nigeria a model for inclusive, sustainable access to the benefits of advanced therapeutic technologies."

By harnessing advocacy, regulatory innovation, and decentralised biotherapeutic manufacturing, WBFA and Caring Cross aim to position Nigeria as a demonstrative leader in expanding access to 21st-century medical innovations within emerging health systems. Furthermore, the collaboration will serve as a model for bridging the global innovation gap by fostering knowledge exchange, global financing opportunities, and collaborative regulation to advance transformative care.

Representatives from Caring Cross will be present at the Milken Institute Global Conference on Monday, May 5th, taking place at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, California. We welcome expressions of interest from prospective partners and investors who wish to support our initiatives in Nigeria. To arrange a meeting, please contact us via the details provided below.

About Wellbeing Foundation Africa 

The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) is a non-governmental organization founded in 2004 by Her Excellency Mrs. Toyin Ojora Saraki. Its mission is to improve health and wellbeing across sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on areas such as maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health, gender equality, and sustainable development. WBFA's initiatives align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aiming for measurable impact through frontline programs, strategic partnerships, and community engagement. Through its broad-reaching programs, WBFA strives to create healthier, more resilient communities across Nigeria and the wider African continent.

https://wbfafrica.org

Wellbeing Foundation Africa Media Contact: 
 
Zelia Bukhari
The Wellbeing Foundation Africa
[email protected]
+44 7564838691

About Caring Cross:
Caring Cross is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to accelerating the development of advanced medicines and ensuring global access to cures. To achieve its mission, Caring Cross develops technologies and therapeutic candidates that improve the accessibility, affordability, and applicability of advanced medicines like CAR-T therapy and stem cell gene therapy. Vectors used for Caring Cross ATMPs are manufactured by Vector BioMed, a for-profit vector contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), specializing in rapid lentiviral vector manufacturing solutions, to provide the industry with affordable, high-quality GMP lentiviral vectors.

For more information on Caring Cross, visit https://caringcross.org. For more information on Vector BioMed, visit https://vectorbiomed.com.

Caring Cross Media Contacts: 

Daniel Laender 
Director of Communications
Caring Cross
[email protected] 
+1 (240) 447-3692

Kathy Fowler 
On The Marc Media
[email protected] 
+1 (410) 963-2345

SOURCE Caring Cross