Indian Immunologicals and ICMR Team Up to Develop Zika Vaccine
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 12: Vaccine manufacturer Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has signed a Memorandum of Association (MoA) with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to develop a Zika vaccine. According to the MoA, ICMR will fund the Phase I clinical trial costs, including conduct, investigations, and monitoring. The trial will be conducted at ICMR network sites in India.
Dr. K Anand Kumar, Managing Director of IIL, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating, “It is a great moment for IIL to collaborate with ICMR to develop Zika vaccine. IIL has been the single largest contributor to India achieving self-sufficiency in the field of vaccines.” He emphasized the importance of developing safe and effective vaccines to protect people from emerging diseases.
ICMR Director General Dr. Rajiv Bahl highlighted the significance of this step towards achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat. He mentioned that ICMR’s Phase I trial network, launched last year, facilitates first-in-human safety studies for innovative and affordable medical technologies, including vaccines. The network includes four operational sites: ACTREC Mumbai, KEM Hospital Mumbai, SRM Chennai, and PGIMER Chandigarh.
Dr. Priyabrata Pattnaik, Deputy Managing Director of IIL, noted that the company is at the forefront of developing vaccines for emerging viral diseases, including Zika, Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), Chikungunya, and the SARS-CoV-2 intra-nasal booster vaccine. IIL partnered with Griffith University, Australia, to develop the codon de-optimized live attenuated Zika vaccine, which has completed extensive pre-clinical evaluations and received regulatory approval for clinical development.
Zika disease, caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes, can also be spread through pregnancy, sexual contact, blood transfusion, and organ transplantation. While usually mild, Zika infection during pregnancy can lead to serious complications such as microcephaly and other congenital malformations. As of July 22, 2024, India has reported 537 Zika cases, but no vaccine is currently available for prevention.
Doubts Revealed
Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) -: Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) is a company in India that makes vaccines to protect people and animals from diseases.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) -: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is a government organization in India that does research to improve health and find cures for diseases.
Memorandum of Association -: A Memorandum of Association is a document that shows an agreement between two groups to work together on a project.
Phase I clinical trial -: A Phase I clinical trial is the first stage of testing a new medicine or vaccine in people to see if it is safe.
ICMR network sites -: ICMR network sites are special places in India where the Indian Council of Medical Research conducts its studies and trials.
Zika -: Zika is a disease spread by mosquitoes that can cause serious problems, especially for pregnant women and their babies.
mosquito-borne disease -: A mosquito-borne disease is an illness that is spread to people through mosquito bites.
complications during pregnancy -: Complications during pregnancy are problems that can happen to a mother or her baby while she is pregnant.
