~The unique formulation will not only be cost
effective but also scalable for commercial manufacturing
New
Delhi,29 June 2015:Global
vaccine research and development organisation, Hilleman Laboratories, today announced
the publication of an original scientific report in the journal Vaccine based on the success of a preclinical
trial conducted for Haemophilus
influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine. The unique formulation derived from the ongoing
research will not only bring down the cost of the vaccine, but will also provide
a scalable platform for commercial manufacturing. This break-through research
is another milestone achievement for Hilleman Laboratories with a vision to
bridge the immunization gap.
Speaking
on this new development Dr. Davinder
Gill, CEO, Hilleman Laboratories said, “Capsular
polysaccharide conjugates of Hib are important components of several mono-or
multivalent vaccines for children. However, the access to needy people is
limited due to the relative high cost of the Hib vaccine. This new formulation
will be a step towards developing a cost-effective and a more immunogenic
vaccine. It is an encouraging breakthrough in bridging the gap and making Hib
vaccine accessible and affordable.”
“A strategic three-step
approach was used to identify the efficacy of polysaccharide in preparing a
vaccine for Hib. Our original research published in the journal Vaccine shows
that when the length of the polysaccharide was optimized, it dramatically
improved immunogenicity in preclinical models, thus making it more powerful and
effective. It was also found that the new formulation was 4 to 10 times more potent
when compared to the existing licensed vaccines,” added Dr.
Manoj KumarChhikara, Head of the Conjugate Vaccines R&D program at Hilleman
Labs.
Hib is a
deadly bacterium that causes severe diseases like pneumonia and meningitis,
which are the leading causes of child deaths in India, accounting for nearly
20% of the global death figures. Hib capsular polysaccharides (Hib-PRP)arepoorly
immunogenic in children less than two years of age and require conjugation to a
protein carrier.Moreover the Hib conjugate vaccine, which plays a vital role in
national immunization programs and also forms a main part of the pentavalent
vaccine, is the costliest component and hence developing countries such as
India can benefit from more cost effective formulations.
The new
conjugate vaccine developed by Hilleman Laboratories is a more immunogenic
preparation of Hib capsular polysaccharide (PRP)–tetanustoxoid (TT) conjugates
using optimized PRP chain length and conjugation conditions. This new and
unique cost-effective formulation developed by the company will significantly reduce
the cost of Hibvaccine, which in turn, will help in reducing the market price
of the pentavalent vaccine, thus making it accessible to a larger number of
people. This will definitely have a larger economic impact on the public health
system and subsequently bring down the expenditure in the system.
“We have already completed the preclinical
immunogenicity trial phase which has shown predictive results. Our next step now
would be to look at collaboration with like-minded stakeholders who can work together
towards cost effective solutions with the aim of bridging existing gaps in a
significant way” said Dr. Gill.
About Hilleman Laboratories:
Hilleman
Laboratories is a first-of-its-kind joint-venture partnership formed between
Merck & Co., 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.
Operating
on a not-for-profit principle, Hilleman Laboratories aims to become a preferred
partner for Low Cost Vaccine Manufacturers and the ‘global voice’ for vaccine
development and usage for public health in the developing world. For further
information please visit: www.hillemanlabs.org
Clayton
Dsouza
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9930011602
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Ann
Marie De Souza
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9819099110
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