-As UNILAG PharmTech Dept. unveils state-of-the-art laboratory
It was commendation galore for the Acting HOD of the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology in the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Dr Margaret Ilomuanya, as the department officially opened the MedAfrica GMP laboratory, the first by an African university. The event, which took place on Tuesday, witnessed the tour of the facility by distinguished pharmacists, among whom were erstwhile Health Minister, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi; Pharm. Ike Onyechi, CEO of Alpha Pharmacy; Pharm. (Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi, publisher of Pharmanews; Pharm. Kenneth Onuegbu, chairman of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria, among others.
Dr Ilumoanya, who charted the roadmap and drove the process for the actualisation of the laboratory project, with a $450,000 research grant awarded her by Jeiven Pharmaceuticals and the Population Council, NY, USA, also played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the project. Speaking to Pharmanewsonline on the significance of the opening of the GMP laboratory, she said it would boost local pharma manufacturing while also creating a culture of innovation through groundbreaking research in the academia.
“The opening of the GMP laboratory will enhance our ability to develop products, just moving from the academia directly to the industry. So, it is basically innovation in pharmacy,” she said.
Speaking after the tour of the laboratory, Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi, also noted that the development was a good one for the Nigerian pharmaceutical space.
“Nigeria is a country that is in need of manufacturing and I want to congratulate the University of Lagos for starting something new. It is a step in the right direction, a quest for excellence, boldness and innovation. It is going to bridge the gap between town and gown and we are very happy about it.
Also speaking, Pharm. Onuegbu, said the opening of the GMP laboratory portends good tidings for the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry.
He said, “Generally, this is what we are looking for – the proper collaboration between the industry and the university. The ideal thing is what we are seeing today, where industry brings its challenges and hands them over to researchers in the academia for resolution. By so doing, appropriate products for the Nigerian population are developed.
“This will indeed, stem the tide of the importation of medicines from other countries. We are extremely happy because this GMP lab will resolve a lot of issues within the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry, especially the issue of local manufacturing which has been marred by many factors. I can assure you that many manufacturing companies in Nigeria will use this facility to resolve some problems.”
Meanwhile during the seminar which followed the unveiling of the GMP laboratory, principal officers from the University of Lagos and experts in the pharmaceutical industry while further commending Ilomuanya for her innovative leadership in the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, also emphasized the significance of the academia-industry collaboration.
Welcoming guests to the Maiden Seminar Series, the Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Professor Gloria Ayoola, said the opening of the MedAfrica GMP laboratory was a testimony to the culture of excellence and innovation of the Pharmacy Faculty, in particular and the University of Lagos, in general.
“Students will gain invaluable skills that would make them innovative and competitive, thereby shaping their future and the future of pharmacy. This seminar series is designed to facilitate knowledge exchange,” she said.
In her welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Folashade Ogunsola, said both the opening of the MedAfrica GMP laboratory and the Maiden Seminar Series were in tandem with UNILAG’s vision to provide a platform for research and innovation.
“The impact of this laboratory is enormous. The University of Lagos can become a hub for pharmaceutical research in Africa”, she said while extoling the tenacity and resilience of Ilomuanya.
On his part, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Professor Cyril Usifoh, while emphasizing the need for endless collaboration between the academia and the industry, lauded the contribution of Pharm. Ike Onyechi towards the actualisation of the GMP project. He also encouraged more women to aspire to positions of responsibility and excellence, just as Ilomaunya has done.
“Whatever Margaret has achieved is just the starting point. There are many more frontiers to be covered”, he added.
Delivering the keynote address titled “Academia/industry collaboration: A case for purpose-driven research through product development in line with cGMP specifications”, Professor Olobayo Kunle of National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), highlighted the need for the academia to partner with the industry by getting involved in product development which is one of the benefits of research and development.
He described product development as the conversion of science into useful products with commercial value. He further stressed that the academia and the industry must collaborate through research and development. “With the steps we have taken so far, a time will come when we will no longer depend on drug importations for our medicines need in Nigeria”, he said.
Professor Kunle also eulogised the Publisher of Pharmanews, Pharm. (Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi, whom he described as one of the enablers of his meteoric rise in the pharmacy profession. He recalled that as Editor of the Pharmacy World Journal, Sir Atueyi accepted and published his first journal paper that enabled him get employment as a Research Assistant many years ago.
In her vote of thanks, Dr Ilomuanya appreciated the University of Lagos for giving her the platform to bring about progressive change. She also honoured her colleagues in the faculty for being with her through the arduous journey of the GMP laboratory project.
Congratulations on this outstanding achievement. It is inspiring to see such progress, and I am excited about the future opportunities that the UNILAG PharmTech Department will undoubtedly create in the local pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.