A Kolkata based National
Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR) inked an MoU with Hilleman labs, for further development and
commercialization of the Shigella Vaccine and other enteric vaccines for
diarrheal diseases. The agreement was signed as an effort of Hilleman Labs
mission to make affordable and accessible vaccines for the developing world.
At the signing-in, Dr.
Davinder Gill, CEO, Hilleman Labs said, "Shigella is the second most fatal organism
after Rotavirus that causes severe diarrhea in children with no approved
vaccine available at this time. We are pleased at this opportunity to
collaborate with NICED and jointly develop Shigella vaccine
for a disease whose basic pathology is not yet properly understood."
Dr. Shanta
Dutta Director, NICED said, "Vaccines are the most, simple, powerful and
cost-effective health intervention and an effective public health tool. Our
association with Hilleman Labs is in alignment with NICED's mission to identify
enteric infections, initiate appropriate multidisciplinary research and develop
strategies for treatment, control and prevention of enteric infections."
"Till
now Shigella infection was treated with antibiotics and currently there is no
vaccine to prevent shigellosis. We look forward to this as a strong partnership
aspiring to unlock new knowledge behind the enteric disease like shigellosis
and to come up with appropriate and effective preventive tool against this
disease.", she added.
Shigellosis the leading
cause of mortality and morbidity in under five children with bloody diarrhea
worldwide, especially affecting low income developing countries of Africa and
South Asia. According to the 2015 Global Burden of Disease report, 1.3 million
deaths related to diarrhea occur not only in children but adults as well across
the world. Out of these, India had the highest mortality rates with 500,000 deaths in children less than 5 years of age. India’s population is severely
affected by water borne diseases. Poor quality of water, hygiene and sanitation
results in 30.5 million disabilities adjusted life years in India. While the Government of India is
working towards improving these basic needs, the vaccine industry is
contributing to public health by developing vaccines for various pathogens: Shigella,
adenovirus, Campylobacter & E. coli which are identified to cause diarrhea.
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan Director General of ICMR and
Secretary, Department of Health Research - Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare added by saying, “India has immense potential in clinical research,
drug and device manufacturing and we would like to see more of these
partnerships within the country to realize the ‘Make in India' dream. We are
keen that ICMR becomes more collaborative and partners with organizations in this
direction and mutually expand capacities through cross-functional
partnerships".
In addition to understanding the role of NICED better with
Hilleman Laboratories, Dr. Davinder Gill, CEO, Hilleman Laboratories said,’ The
good thing about this collaboration is that we can offer our expertise in
vaccine development to the work that is done at NICED and quickly accelerate
the process of development of the vaccine, so that within the next year we can
bring the vaccine from research stage to clinical trials.”
