Pharma Inc sets sights on monkeypox vax

At least eight Indian companies are seeking to develop a vaccine against monkeypox, said people with knowledge of the matter.

Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), Life Sciences, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Biological E and two state-owned units - Mumbai-based Haffkine Institute and Indian Immunologicals Ltd - are among those that have come forward to join hands with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to develop vaccines, said the people cited above.

ICMR had earlier invited expressions of interest (EoIs) from vaccine manufacturers as well as manufacturers of diagnostic kits. The last date for submitting EoIs was August 10.

One of the persons said 31 companies applied - 28 for developing test kits and eight for vaccines. "Screening is going on right now," the person said.

Serum Institute chief executive Adar Poonawalla had told ET that the company is talking with partners that have the potential to develop a vaccine.

The National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, isolated the virus in July, after which Delhi-based ICMR asked experienced vaccine manufacturers, drug companies, R&D institutions and in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) kit manufacturers to collaborate on vaccine candidates and tests.

Kit manufacturers such as NeoDx and Mylab have expressed interest in developing tests. "Though we think it will not affect a larger segment of population like Covid, we would like to be prepared if people in the country need quality solutions for detection and treatment," Hasmukh Rawal, managing director, Mylab, told ET last week.

Genes2Me has also approached the ICMR to develop a detection kit.

ICMR earlier said it was in possession of "characterised monkeypox virus isolates/strains" and was willing to collaborate with experienced vaccine manufacturers as well as IVD manufacturers. This would be on "royalty basis," with fixed-term contracts for research, development (R&D) and manufacturing.

There will be joint development and validation of five potential vaccine candidates, besides the development of diagnostic kits. "The firm(s)/organisation(s) would be granted rights to undertake further R&D, manufacture, sell and commercialise the end product(s), vaccine candidate/IVD against the monkeypox disease under defined agreement," it said.

According to ICMR, the agreement following the EoI will be executed on a "non-exclusive" basis with single or multiple firms due to the extensive demand for monkeypox virus isolates. It also said ICMR-NIV will provide expert guidance and technical support on R&D and product development in all phases.