KAMPALA — Dei Biopharma Founder Dr. Matthias Magoola has been awarded the prestigious Pharma Ratna Universe Award is one of India’s most sought-after recognitions in the Biopharma and healthcare sector.
The award was received on behalf of Dr. Magoola by Ms Olivia Kemigisa, Dei BioPharma Ltd head of Human Capital at the award ceremonies on April 20 at Taj Skyline, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in India.
Pharma Ratna, organisers of the Awards, paid commendation to Dr. Magoola, in a citation, preceeding the accolade, recognising his efforts building Dei BioPharma from zero to a value of USD 2.5 billions in 2025.
“A man who made the whole of Africa proud with his visionary approach. He started his career from zero, and now he is a billionaire,”.
The citation added:
“His vision is to make Africa free from malaria and other dreaded diseases. He owns Africa’s largest Pharmaceutical & Biotech Company. ”
Pharma Ratna also praised Dr. Magoola, saying that his award was not just a personal honour for Dr. Magoola— but a proud moment for Uganda, Africa, and “every dreamer who believes in building global impact from the ground up.”
Dei Biopharma Ltd Chief Executive Officer Mr. Hitesh Upreti said Dr. Magoola’s vision of making Africa self-reliant in pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and cutting-edge biotech innovation is now resonating beyond borders.
“This award is a salute to the spirit of innovation, resilience, and purpose that Dr. Magoola embodies,” he said.
“We are grateful to Pharma Ratna Universe 2025 for recognising African excellence on this global stage. We are even more committed now—to rise higher, reach farther, and serve better,” he said.
Dr. Magoola a Ugandan scientist and inventor, has built Dei Biopharma Limited, a biotech and pharmaceutical research firm duly incorporated in Uganda, specializing in the development and manufacture of innovative medicines and vaccines, and is currently developing a multi-billion dollar drugs and vaccines manufacturing plant at Matugga, near Kampala, Uganda’s capital.
President Museveni, while meeting Dr. Magoola and his team last week pledged government support in obtaining a license for a number of their locally produced vaccines to enable their use on the global market.
At the meeting at State House Entebbe on April 13, President Museveni acknowledged Dr. Magoola’s efforts, pledging that the government will work towards expediting the National Drug and Health Products Act, a vital step to enable the National Drug Authority (NDA) to attain WHO Maturity Level 3 accreditation that facilitates it to license vaccines produced locally for use in global markets.
Dr. Magoola, has through Dei Biopharma Ltd filed over 100 patents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for treating different diseases and vaccines, including for cancer, HIV, Alzheimer’s, Sickle cells, Malaria, TB and Diabetes.
In the latest breakthrough, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), on February 6, 2025, published Dr. Magoola’s patent for a novel cancer treatment using guided RNA.
Dr Magoola contends that the invention, which has been in the making for years, represents a significant advancement in cancer therapy. It utilizes a novel composition of guided RNA attached to the Cas9 protein.
This complex targets and disrupts mutated genes responsible for cancer, preventing their repair and ultimately killing the cancerous cells. The details have been published by the USPTO.
The foundational CRISPR-Cas9 technology, which allows for precise gene editing, was first invented by Prof. Emmanuelle Charpentier and Prof. Jennifer Doudna, who won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Dr Magoola invention takes this technology a crucial step further. Instead of allowing the cell to repair the disrupted gene, the method prevents this repair, leading to the targeted destruction of cancer cells.
The invention is specifically designed to treat cancer by disrupting the mutated genes. It targets only cancer cells, leaving healthy cells unharmed. This specificity offers the potential to treat all types of cancer, regardless of stage, and eliminates the debilitating side effects associated with traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy, antibody therapy, and radiation.
Earlier on January 7, 2025, the USPTO accepted an application by Dei Biopharma for the invention of the world’s first universal vaccine against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), an infection that has been wreaking havoc in livestock across the country and other parts of the world.
This invention, titled “Affordable Universal Fusion Universal Vaccine for Foot and Mouth Disease Infections,” will, according to Dr Magoola, save the government billions of shillings it has been spending on importing vaccines.
Dr. Magoola thanked President Museveni for the support, adding that the 12 facilities at Dei BioPharma needed 8MW of power to be provided by the government to enable the sterile production of vaccines and other critical medicines.
“We are grateful for the support from the government, and especially His Excellency President Yoweri Museveni, for his unwavering support to Ugandan scientists and in particular to the Dei BioPharma drugs and vaccines manufacturing project. Without his dedicated support, we wouldn’t be achieving these milestones, and it is fair that we must thank and credit him for these achievements. These achievements are for Uganda and specifically for our dear president, for he has always stood up for the scientists in this country,” Dr. Magoola said.
