- Initiates clinical trials for heat-stable Rotavirus vaccine and next-generation Cholera vaccine
- Aims to boost GAVI and Government of India’s universal immunization programs with heat-stable and affordable Rotavirus vaccine for improved coverage
- In response to WHO’s global call for increased Cholera vaccine supply, advances on clinical development of innovative oral Cholera vaccine
Hilleman
Laboratories also obtained regulatory clearance for its innovative oral Cholera
vaccine to conduct a Phase I/II clinical study that is intended to lead to an
affordable vaccine against devastating Cholera infection.
Commenting
on these developments, Dr. Davinder
Gill, CEO, Hilleman Laboratories said,
“These are exciting times at Hilleman Laboratories with several of our
initiatives moving closer to meeting their objectives. There is a real need for
safer and more effective vaccines to address the unmet needs of low-income
nations. We have designed both Rotavirus and Cholera vaccine candidates keeping
in view the socio-economic and demographic needs of developing nations. While
on one hand, our heat-stable technology will offer longer stability to the Rotavirus
vaccine in extreme climates, the next-generation oral Cholera vaccine will be
affordable and easy-to-administer.”
Dr. Gerd Zettlmeissl,
Chairman of Board of Directors, Hilleman Laboratories said, “I congratulate
the entire team at the Hilleman Laboratories on achieving this significant
milestone. These developments further strengthen my belief in our vision of
saving millions of lives lost due to preventable diseases in low income
settings.” In light of the World
Immunization Week themed ‘Close the Immunization Gap’ by WHO, the new
developments gives a massive impetus to the company’s commitment towards
realizing this goal.
The clinical trials for both the vaccine candidates
will be conducted at Bangladesh-based International Centre for Diarrheal
Disease Research (ICDDR, B), an international health research organization.
Dr.
John David Clemens, Executive Director, ICDDR, B, who
is spearheading the trials said, “Increasing access to high impact vaccines
will be the key to eradicate enteric diseases that are a leading cause of
deaths in developing countries. Since beginning our collaboration with Hilleman
Laboratories, we have been closely monitoring the development of both the
Rotavirus and Cholera vaccines. We are now thrilled to get an opportunity to
translate research into preventable treatment.”
Lauding
the Indian government’s efforts to reduce child mortality by including Rotavirus
vaccines under the Universal Immunization Program, Dr. Gill added, “This is a welcome step taken by the Government of
India. However, high dependence on cold-chain for vaccine preservation, is a
major gap in the delivery system. With our heat-stable Rotavirus vaccine, we
aim to further support the government’s efforts of expanding coverage and
reducing child mortality.”
Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrhea and
death among children less than 5 years of age, 90% of these deaths occur in
developing countries. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare[1],
nearly 80,000 to 100,000 children in India die due to Rotavirus diarrhea
annually while nearly 900,000 children are admitted to hospitals with severe
diarrhea.
According to the World Health
Organization, Cholera Vaccine production is low, with demands currently
exceeding supply. Cholera is endemic in over 50 countries with estimated
mortality of 100,000 - 120,000 deaths and a morbidity of 3.8 - 4.4 million
annual cases attributed to this disease[2].
In 2014 Hilleman Laboratories partnered with Gotovax
AB of Sweden and Incepta Vaccines of Bangladesh for the development of an
affordable Cholera vaccine. “In less than two years, with the strong assistance
of our partners, we have successfully advanced our Cholera program from signing
our partnership agreement to initiating clinical trials. This only enforces our
aim to contribute in enhancing the supply of a much-needed vaccine across the
world,” added Dr. Gill.
About
Hilleman Laboratories
Hilleman
Laboratories is a first-of-its-kind joint-venture partnership formed between MSD
a global research-driven pharmaceutical organization and Wellcome Trust, a
global charitable foundation dedicated to human and animal health by supporting
the brightest minds. Hilleman Laboratories has been named after renowned
scientist and father of modern vaccines Dr. Maurice Hilleman. His dedication to
making a difference through the practical application of vaccine research and
delivering vaccines to people in need forms the core mission of Hilleman Laboratories.
Hilleman
Laboratories aims to become a global voice for vaccine development and access for
public health in the developing world. For further information please visit: www.hillemanlabs.org.
About Merck Sharp &
Dohme (MSD)
For 125 years, MSD has been a
global health care leader working to help the world be well. MSD is a tradename
of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA. Through our prescription
medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products, we work
with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative
health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to
health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more
information, visit www.msd.xx (for country-specific website).
About Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation dedicated to
improving health. We support bright minds in science, the humanities and the
social sciences, as well as education, public engagement and the application of
research to medicine. Our investment portfolio gives us the independence to
support such transformative work as the sequencing and understanding of the human
genome, research that established front-line drugs for malaria, and Wellcome
Collection, our free venue for the incurably curious that explores medicine,
life and art. www.wellcome.ac.uk
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