School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

The United States International University – Africa (USIU-Africa) School of Pharmacy & Health Sciences (SPHS) in collaboration with key pharmaceutical manufacturing industry drivers are establishing a Center of Excellence in Pharmaceutical Innovations & Analysis (CEPIA) to stand as a platform for Training, Research and Development while being an Outsourced Pharmaceuticals Quality Assurance services provider.

This shall be instrumental in availing technical support in the areas of Pharmaceutical Products Formulation and Production, Analytical Methods Development & Validation, Bioavailability & Bioequivalence Studies in addition to Herbal Products Safety & Efficacy Evaluation.

CEPIA Vision
Enhanced QUALITY in drug development and manufacturing processes, from research and development through tech transfers to commercialization.

CEPIA Philosophy
Innovations in pharmaceutical technology fuel the opportunity to transform research and development for quality drug development, manufacturing and thus holistic therapeutic care.

CEPIA Mandate
Institute a platform for:

• Capacity building of individuals, agencies and industries to ensure safe, high quality medicines.
• Strengthening drug regulatory capacity through quality control and laboratory work as a complement to inspection.
• Increasing national capacities to address international intellectual property laws, health insurance.
• Exploring regional partnerships to share expertise between countries.

CEPIA Aims and Goals

1. To avail increased opportunities for training and capacity building in pharmaceutical innovations from undergraduate to postgraduate levels.
2. To drive research aimed at developing more effective medicines applying current technologies.
3. To establish Chemical Reference Substances (CRS) cot for the region to reduce delays in delivery and high costs of procuring the CRS.
4. To avail outsourced Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance services to the industries, including development of GMP documentation (SOPs, dossiers) and piloting projects (e.g., R&D & Analytical method development).
5. To implement a Bioequivalence and bioavailability studies centre with WHO pre-qualification.
6. To lead adoption of industry best practices and Comparative testing though concerted exchange programs for players in industry and academia.
7. To develop a herbal medicines evaluation and product registrations bureau.

FLAGSHIP PROJECTS

• Pharmaceutical Production Specialists Training.
• Herbal Medicines Evaluation & Products Registration Bureau.

CEPIA Implementation strategies and methods

• Short course trainings in the area of pharmaceutical innovations.
• Professional networks for joint research grant writing / implementation.
• Quality control services provider.
• Bioequivalence and bioavailability studies center.
• Herbal medicines bureau.

The Center’s initiation, planning, implementation, and closure shall be pegged on the various projects it shall host. These are perceived to be self-perpetuating and thus making CEPIA to be in existence for an indefinite life duration.

CEPIA Marketing Plan
Upon attaining all the required approvals within the university and the Regulator body, a range of marketing strategies shall be adopted from internet marketing to other diverse models of contact marketing by reaching out to potential stakeholders through phone calls, and talk shows.

• The assigned center office infrastructure shall be branded.
• The stationary materials utilized at the Centre also shall be branded adequately which may be distributed as merchandise to partners at every opportune moment.
• On the university website, there shall be a tab / link leading to CEPIA website that shall have been exclusively designed to provide relevant information to the prospective clients and stakeholders.

The external partners including Federation of East African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (FEAPM), Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (KAPI), Pharmacy & Poisons Board (PPB), Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya (PSK), and key industry drivers as Pharmaceutical industries shall be involved in the advertisement of the center activities and services.

Watch a short introduction video of CEPIA here.