Manufacturer: Phase-1 trial of dengue vaccine gets nod

Kumar said the IIL is developing the dengue vaccine in collaboration with the US-based National Institute of Health (NIH). “They provided us the virus,” he said.

Asked when the Phase-1 trial would begin, Kumar said, “The centres have already been identified for trial.” He expressed hope that the vaccine would be launched in the next two years.

Official records show that there are two other dengue vaccine candidates — being developed by Panacea Biotec Limited and Sanofi India Private Limited. Both have got permission for clinical trials. Panacea Biotec Limited has completed Phase-1 and Phase-2 trials.

Sanofi India Private Limited’s vaccine has already been approved in the US; it has started conducting trials in India.

According to the National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC), 1,93,245 cases of dengue and 346 deaths were reported across the country last year.

The IIL, a subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board, manufactures animal and human vaccines. It is one of the two suppliers of the goat pox vaccine, currently being administered to prevent lumpy skin disease in cattle.

Kumar said the IIL has ramped up the production of goat pox vaccine from 1 million doses in July to about 10 million doses in August this year. Earlier, the IIL used to supply 2-3 million goat pox vaccines in a year, Kumar said, adding that the vaccine is priced at Rs 5 per dose.

Asked about the indigenous lumpy skin vaccine developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Kumar said, “We are in talks with Agrinnovate India. The first meeting is tomorrow. We will ask them about the vaccine data and other relevant information.” Agrinnovate India is the commercialisation arm for products and technologies developed by the ICAR institutes.

Two ICAR institutes – National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE) in Hisar (Haryana) and the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Izatnagar (UP) – have jointly developed Lumpi-ProVacInd vaccine.

According to sources at the Department of Animal Husbandry, the lumpy skin disease had affected 16.42 lakh cattle in 197 districts of 13 states across the country till September 11 this year. About 75,000 cattle deaths due to the disease had been reported till September 11; 9.96 lakh cattle had recovered, while 5.5 lakh were active cases, said sources. A total of 1.10 crore vaccine doses had been administered till September 11, said sources.