OUR STORY
Established in 2013 by Dr. Serge Afeli in Columbia, South Carolina, Afeli Pharmaceuticals is committed to reducing healthcare disparities in America and around the world, particularly in developing countries where the lack of regulatory and quality control systems has led to a proliferation of counterfeit drugs. Our focus is on making high-quality US-manufactured biopharmaceuticals accessible and affordable everywhere.
We have been actively improving healthcare in Africa since 2013. In 2014, we introduced a US-made prenatal multivitamin complex to Ivory Coast and Zambia, targeting a reduction in birth defects and maternal-infant mortality. By 2016, we expanded our portfolio with a US-made joint pain supplement, clinically proven to enhance joint comfort.
Our commitment extends beyond product development. We have forged strong partnerships with rural clinics, healthcare professionals, hospitals, pharmacies, regulatory bodies, and non-governmental organizations throughout Africa. These collaborations are at the heart of our strategy, enabling us to deliver tailored healthcare solutions and make a lasting impact in communities where it's needed most.
At Afeli Pharmaceuticals, we're more than a company; we're a force for positive change, continually striving to make the world healthier, one community at a time.
getting to know the founder
Serge Afeli, PhD, MSHA | Founder and CEO
Dr. Afeli was born in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and raised in a family of six children in the city of Abidjan before immigrating to the United States to attend college and complete his higher education. Dr. Afeli has over a decade of leadership experience as the director of innovation and entrepreneurship, tenured associate professor of pharmacology, and healthcare entrepreneur. He has published more than three dozen peer-reviewed scientific research articles and abstracts related to overactive bladder pharmacology, bladder cancer chemoresistance, and entrepreneurship education. He has served as a faculty mentor during innovation and entrepreneurship events at Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Clemson University. He is an ardent advocate and champion for minority causes, with a special focus on addressing health disparities within the Black community. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical sciences from Kansas State University, a PhD degree in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, and a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. A passionate advocate for minority causes, he dedicates himself to addressing health disparities within the Black community, demonstrating a deep commitment to social equity and healthcare excellence.
Serge Afeli, PhD, MSHA
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Latif Oduola-Owoo, Esq
Fiston Vuvu, PharmD, MSc
Latif Oduola-Owoo, Esq
Legal and Strategy Advisor
Partner at Arrington-Owoo Law Firm
Brian Boughner
Fiston Vuvu, PharmD, MSc
Latif Oduola-Owoo, Esq
Financial Strategy Advisor
Principal at Parallel Financials LLC
Fiston Vuvu, PharmD, MSc
Fiston Vuvu, PharmD, MSc
Fiston Vuvu, PharmD, MSc
Pharmaceutical Strategy Advisor
Global Health Economics and Outcomes Research at Pfizer
market presence
United States
United States
United States
Ivory Coast
United States
United States