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Indian Immunologicals’ aims at being a global
player in vaccine business
Hyderabad,
October, 2003:
His Excellency Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, President of
India inaugurated the state of the art, Human
Vaccines Plant and R & D Centre set up by Indian
Immunologicals Limited (IIL), a wholly owned
subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board
(NDDB). His Excellency the Honorable Governor of
Andhra Pradesh Shri Surjit Singh Barnala and Shri
K. Vijayarama Rao, Minister for Commercial Taxes,
Govt. of AP also graced the occasion. These
facilities have been set up with an investment of
Rs 50 crores. The plant has been designed to
manufacture various human vaccines such as
Recombinant Hepatitis B, Measles, Diphtheria,
Pertussis and Tetanus. In addition, the plant has
the capability and technology to produce new
combination vaccines. This unique complex houses
several plants, which can simultaneously
manufacture 200 million doses of each vaccine per
annum. Speaking on the occasion Dr. Amrita Patel,
Chairman, NDDB said "This plant marks a major
milestone in indigenous technology development and
places India on the global map in modern vaccine
technology. We are committed to producing world
class vaccines and make it available at affordable
prices".
Apart from catering to the national needs, the
vaccines produced in this plant will also be
exported to meet the growing demand for quality
vaccines under UNICEF’s vaccine procurement
programme. Indian Immunologicals’ already exports
its veterinary vaccines to a number of countries
and is the largest supplier of FMD vaccines to
Food & Agriculture Organisation. The global market
for human & animal vaccines is about US$ 8 billion
and is growing at 9% p.a. Indian Immunologicals,
targets to be a major vaccine player in both
animal and humane vaccines and plans to garner a
significant share of the global market.
Apart from the manufacturing unit, H.E. The
President also inaugurated the Research &
Development Center. Set up with an investment of
Rs 8 crores this R & D Center will develop various
animal and human vaccines and biologicals. "Indian
Immunologicals will undertake research which will
lead to production of not only low cost but also
thermostable products, which do not require a cold
chain. In persuance of this a DNA rabies vaccine
is being developed in collaboration with the
Indian Institute of Science, which is in advance
stage of trials" Dr. Patel added. The research
centre will focus not only on developing vaccines
based on modern biotechnology, but will also work
towards developing therapeutics and diagnostic
agents based on molecular biology. An important
area of IIL’s research will be in the area of
Hybridoma and Human monoclonal antibodies for
therapeutic purposes. The R &D center is designed
to emerge as a Centre of Excellence in modern
biotechnology.
IIL does not restrict itself to merely being a
vaccine manufacturer but is also a successful
vaccination service provider through its chain of
1600 Abhay Clinics and 500 Pratirodh Centers.
-MK
Reachout's News Bureau
October' 2003
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