27 August 2013
HYDERABAD: City-based vaccine major Bharat Biotech on Monday launched what it claimed was the world's first clinically proven typhoid conjugate vaccine, Typbar - TCV, for infants above six-months as well as adults.
The company that already manufactures and markets typhoid vaccines, said the newly launched typhoid conjugate vaccine would help make the vaccinated immune to the disease for a longer period of time as against the existing vaccines in the market that provide protection only for two to three years.
However, the company did not announce the pricing of the new vaccine that is slated to hit the markets in two weeks time.
According to Bharat Biotech chairman and managing director Krishna M Ella, the typhoid conjugate vaccine would be priced higher than its existing typhoid vaccine that costs Rs 180 per dose. However, the company would follow the dual pricing model, wherein the vaccine for public usage would be pegged lower than for the product being sold in the private market.
"It took us almost eight years to come up with the world's first clinically proven typhoid conjugate vaccine. We have invested around Rs 65 crore for its development. We expect a business of Rs 100 crore from this new vaccine while our existing typhoid vaccine has earned us around Rs 40 - 50 crore business," he said. "The company has commenced commercial production of Typbar-TCV in pre-filled syringes at its vaccine production facility in Genome Valley here. The plant has a capacity to produce 10 million doses each year, which is expandable to 50 million doses per year in the future," he said.
Typhoid is a common disease in the Indian subcontinent that is transmitted through food or drink contaminated by the faeces or urine of infected people. According to a World Health Organization report, 90% of the typhoid deaths occur in Asia and the disease persists mainly in children under five years.
Published by: The Economic Times