Access to Information Act

The NBI is a private, autonomous, association incorporated under section 21 ("not for profit"), non-governmental organisation.

Mission Statement
To improve health care through the provision of safe, cost effective, appropriate products and services that satisfy customer needs and international quality standards.

Core Business
To provide medical services in relation to blood transfusions, the processing of human blood and the supply of blood fractions and blood products. NBI's range of plasma products comprise of albumin solutions, coagulation factors, immunoglobulins and fresh dried plasma.

Since it's inception, NBI has worked on a self-sufficiency programme for plasma-derived products, in collaboration with the regional BTS in South Africa.

NBI Plasma Derived Medicinal Products
NBI manufactures a wide range of biological products derived from pools of human plasma. With the critical need today for "virus safe" products, NBI endeavours to select effective processes which have been shown to inactivate the important transfusion transmitted viruses, including lipid enveloped viruses like human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1 and HIV-2), hepatitis B and hepatitis C. In addition, all products are sterile-filtered prior to filling.

Clotting factors, factor VIII and factor IX complex, used for the treatment of haemophilia or multiple clotting factor deficiencies are manufactured using the solvent detergent inactivation process which has been shown to inactivate lipid enveloped viruses.

A lyophilised fresh human plasma product, used for patients requiring plasma and coagulation factor replacement, which is similar single donor therapeutic fresh frozen plasma issued by blood transfusion services, is a product unique to NBI. The method of manufacture includes a solvent-detergent inactivation step. The additional benefit of this product is that is can be stored below 25° C, making it ideal for the African market.

Human albumin solutions are prepared by cold ethanol fractionation to reduce the risk of viral transmission. . Albumin solutions are virus inactivated by pasteurisation at 60°C for 10 hours.

Normal immunoglobulin products administered by the intramuscular and intravenous route are manufactured using the modified Kistler and Nischmann alcohol fractionation method. The pH 4.0 pepsin process is included in the manufacture of the intravenous product.

Hyperimmune immunoglobulin products are also produced by the modified Kistler and Nischmann method and include varicella-zoster, rabies, anti-D, tetanus and hepatitis B immunoglobulins.

NBI Biotechnology Products
Included in our product range, NBI makes diagnostic reagents that are marketed and distributed under the National Bioproducts Institute brand. These include a rapid "bed-side" test to determine the Rh_o status of patients, as well as monoclonal antibodies used in the manufacture of rapid bedside testing systems.

Name change
With effect from 1 January 2004, we have changed our company name from Natal Bioproducts Institute (NBI) to National Bioproducts Institute (NBI). The decision to change the name of the company is to reflect the national scope of NBI's operations in South Africa. NBI's roots originated in the early 1970s when a plasma fractionation division of the Natal Blood Transfusion Service was established. In 1994, our company was registered as a separate pharmaceutical company, with strong links to blood transfusion. This company has grown from manufacturing a small range of products to our current status as the only plasma fractionator in South Africa capable of providing a comprehensive national fractionation service that includes the manufacture and distribution of a complete range of plasma derived medicines.

Although we are now officially known as National Bioproducts Institute since January 2004, we have received permission from the Medicines Control Council to phase in new printed packaging for our products that includes the new company name. For this reason, therefore, our products may for a time continue to reflect the name Natal Bioproducts Institute.

We would like to assure you that although we have changed our name, our management and staff remain the same, as does our commitment to the manufacture of safe, and cost effective medicines quality products for distribution to customers in South Africa and where surpluses are available, to the neighbouring SADC countries.