Vadodara/ Anand: Hyderabad-based Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Anand-headquartered National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) will collaborate with Australia’s Griffith University to develop a vaccine for COVID-19.
Through this cross-continental collaboration, scientists from IIL and Griffith University will jointly develop a ‘Live Attenuated SARS – CoV-2 vaccine’ or COVID-19 vaccine using the latest codon de-optimization technology, said Dilip Rath, chairman of NDDB and IIL.
“This technology looks promising for developing a vaccine for prophylactic, active, single dose immunization against coronavirus in humans with an enhanced safety profile. The vaccine is expected to provide long-lasting protection,” he said.
After the research gets completed, the vaccine strain will be transferred to the IIL, the vaccine-maker, who will then work with country’s regulator – Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) – to conduct further clinical trials which will be taken up in a phased manner.
Rath further said that the IIL is a prominent player in veterinary biologicals and committed to addressing critical public health needs. “IIL is committed to develop high-quality vaccines that are affordable,” he added.
Talking to TOI, professor Suresh Mahalingam Menzies from Griffith University’s Health Institute Queensland, said that they are very excited to be able to work closely with IIL to develop this crucial vaccine. “As this vaccine will be a live attenuated vaccine, it is expected to be highly effective as it will provide very strong cellular and antibody immune responses against the virus. The other benefit of such a vaccine is that it will have a proven track record for economical large-scale manufacturing and well-known regulatory approval pathway,” he said.
Incidentally, IIL is one of the largest producers of foot and mouth disease vaccine in the world and was the first company in India to launch the purified vero cell rabies vaccine for humans.
IIL and Griffith University are already conducting research and development of Zika virus vaccine, which is currently at pre-clinical toxicology testing stage.
Through this cross-continental collaboration, scientists from IIL and Griffith University will jointly develop a ‘Live Attenuated SARS – CoV-2 vaccine’ or COVID-19 vaccine using the latest codon de-optimization technology, said Dilip Rath, chairman of NDDB and IIL.
“This technology looks promising for developing a vaccine for prophylactic, active, single dose immunization against coronavirus in humans with an enhanced safety profile. The vaccine is expected to provide long-lasting protection,” he said.
After the research gets completed, the vaccine strain will be transferred to the IIL, the vaccine-maker, who will then work with country’s regulator – Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) – to conduct further clinical trials which will be taken up in a phased manner.
Rath further said that the IIL is a prominent player in veterinary biologicals and committed to addressing critical public health needs. “IIL is committed to develop high-quality vaccines that are affordable,” he added.
Talking to TOI, professor Suresh Mahalingam Menzies from Griffith University’s Health Institute Queensland, said that they are very excited to be able to work closely with IIL to develop this crucial vaccine. “As this vaccine will be a live attenuated vaccine, it is expected to be highly effective as it will provide very strong cellular and antibody immune responses against the virus. The other benefit of such a vaccine is that it will have a proven track record for economical large-scale manufacturing and well-known regulatory approval pathway,” he said.
Incidentally, IIL is one of the largest producers of foot and mouth disease vaccine in the world and was the first company in India to launch the purified vero cell rabies vaccine for humans.
IIL and Griffith University are already conducting research and development of Zika virus vaccine, which is currently at pre-clinical toxicology testing stage.
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