About Us

Developing Animal health vaccines and supplements to support commercial animals and sensitive wildlife species.

OUR Relationships

We seek to equip our clients with knowledge, tools and products to best serve their herds or customers.

OUR PEOPLE

Continue to provide an exceptional service to advance the health of animals.

Who are we?

Design Biologix’s success is made possible by the amazing individuals who make up our whole Design family. Our collective work ethic, passion, skill and commitment to every aspect of the design, and every stage of the manufacturing process of each product, results in the highest quality products which customers trust and on which they depend.

We will continue to serve the critically important Animal Health sector of the Agriculture industry of our country for many years to come.

Design Biologix | What we do

What do we do?

Design Biologix | What we do

We develop, register and manufacture vaccines specifically designed for the prophylactic control of diseases mostly locally in Southern Africa. Our passion is the prevention and control of animal diseases that are unique to SouthernAfrica. Prevention of spread of some of these diseases to other continents has significantly broadened our market. We are proud to develop, register and manufacture supportive injectable multi-mineral supplements for cattle, sheep and goats for prevention, maintenance or correction of diagnosed deficiencies.

Design Biologix’s primary focus is on the animal and how we can support them through innovative solutions with our products. Supporting the veterinarians and farmers with solutions driven by compassion and responsibility from snout to tail. Due to this ethos our collaboration with vets aids us in educating and supporting the farmers and their animals towards a more holistic animal health care system, for a sustainable farming future in Southern Africa.

How did it all begin?

In 1994 three dedicated professionals (Pieter Smuts, Karen Nel and George Gaenssler) conceptualised and established Design Biologix as a commercial animal health vaccine developer and manufacturer.

We started the operations of the company in one tiny lab at the CSIR in Pretoria, with the oldest, most affordable equipment that could do the job. We manufactured one product, anintra-dermally administered pasteurellosis vaccine, Pastvac, for Dr Jan Marnewick (the vet-father of feedlots in South Africa), to reduce the incidence of shipping fever in calves.

Sadly, PieterSmuts died of Covid related complications in 2021 and thus Design Biologix is now independently run and owned by Karen Nel; and has no principals in the pharmaceutical industry.

Design Biologix | How it began

Where are we now?

Design Biologix _ Where are we now

Over the past 29 years we have expanded our facilities on the CSIR campus and from these laboratories continued to serve the cattle feedlot industry. However, the focus of the business has now expanded to a broader base of commercial animals and sensitive wildlife species. The list currently includes cattle, sheep, goats, the aquaculture industry and wildlife species such as rhinoceros, sable, lion, cheetah and wild dog and exotic species such as seahorses, coatimundis, lemurs and fennec foxes.

We have increased our annual vaccine output from approximately 0.7 million doses to 20million doses and our infrastructure, both equipment- and personnel-wise has expanded accordingly.

Design Biologix grew too big for the space at the CSIR and so we are currently busy modifying and fitting our new headquarters in Rigel into a state-of-the-art aseptic manufacturing facility. Once our new facility is complete, we will be able to increase our output even more. The new facility will also allow us to align with the quality standard of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), which the Registrar of Act 36 of 1947 is in the process of implementing by legislation to ensure that the manufacture of injectable products registered with Act 36 of 1947 is carried out in an environment that complies with international standards.

Your Animals’ Health Matters 

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