Serum Institute of India obtains first ever Indian license for its Hib vaccine developed through technology transfer from the Netherlands Vaccine InstituteMay 3, 2007 Serum Institute of India Ltd (SII Ltd) has developed a vaccine against Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) and obtained a license from the Indian Government for its indigenous production. The pilot process technology know-how came from the Netherlands Vaccine Institute (NVI). This is the first time that through intensive joint development and technology transfer a developing country vaccine manufacturer successfully develops a Hib vaccine and obtains a license for it. Hib disease is caused by the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae type b. Serious invasive Hib disease occurs mainly in children under 5 years of age and may cause amongst others life-threatening meningitis. About 10% of patients with Hib-caused meningitis remains permanently disabled. From 5 till 10 % of children infected dies. Particularly in developing countries, about 400,000 children under five years of age die annually from this disease, which is vaccine-preventable. At the global level, WHO has advised in 2006 that countries add Hib vaccination to their national vaccination programmes. With the transfer of Hib technology, NVI has made a substantial contribution to the sustainable access to and availability of Hib vaccines against affordable prices in developing countries. The wider NVI Hib technology transfer programme has been financed mainly by the SII Ltd and Biological E Ltd, vaccine manufacturers from India and Bio Farma in Indonesia. Dr. Ben van der Zeijst, NVI’s scientific director: "We are very proud of the fact that we succeeded in developing this Hib technology and transferring it to SII Ltd. These kinds of collaborative projects with competent developing country vaccine manufacturers will lead to sustainable availability of needed vaccines on the global vaccine market. In synergy, organisations like GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization) can obtain more vaccines for developing countries with their resources." Dr. Suresh Jadhav, executive director of SII Ltd: "Thanks to this joint programme with NVI, we are now able to make the Hib vaccine ourselves and add it in the very near future to our combination vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and hepatitis B. Through this we can supply United Nation organizations with affordable and quality vaccines in order to contribute to the global control of vaccine-preventable diseases." Currently NVI works in a similar manner with Bio Farma in Indonesia and Biological E Ltd in India, who are also developing Hib vaccines with the NVI technology transfer. Media contact information About NVI and SII Ltd The Netherlands Vaccine Institute (NVI) NVI’s mission is to guarantee (by procurement or own production) the supply of vaccines necessary to protect the Dutch population against infectious diseases. To achieve its mission, the institute strives to enter into strategic collaborations with various partners such as international pharmaceutical companies. Such collaborations include the exchange of knowledge and products, and cooperation in research and product development. The NVI further cooperates with vaccine producers in developing countries notably in Indonesia and India. The NVI functions as a training centre and a resource institute for WHO’s Global Training Network on Vaccine Quality and for the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN). NVI also houses the WHO Collaborating Centre for Smallpox Vaccines. SII Ltd |
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