Indian Immunologicals Ties Up with ICMR for Zika Vaccine Development

Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) partners with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for clinical development of a Zika vaccine. ICMR will fund the Phase I trials conducted at its network sites across India. The initiative aims to develop a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine.

Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has signed a Memorandum of Association (MoA) with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to jointly develop a Zika vaccine. Under the MoA, ICMR will fund the Phase I clinical trial costs, inclusive of conduct, investigations, and monitoring, at various ICMR network sites in India.

Dr. K Anand Kumar, Managing Director of IIL, lauded the partnership. He stated, 'It is a great moment for IIL to collaborate with ICMR to develop Zika vaccine. IIL has been the single largest contributor to India achieving self-sufficiency in the field of vaccines.' Dr. Kumar further emphasized the importance of developing affordable, safe, and effective vaccines to combat emerging diseases.

ICMR Director-General Dr. Rajiv Bahl hailed the collaboration as a significant step towards achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat. Highlighting the capabilities of ICMR's Phase I trial network, Dr. Bahl noted that the network's fully operational sites in Mumbai, Chennai, and Chandigarh offer Indian innovators an opportunity to conduct Phase I trials domestically.

Dr. Priyabrata Pattnaik, Deputy Managing Director of IIL, emphasized IIL's leadership in developing vaccines for emerging viral diseases. He mentioned ongoing vaccine projects for Zika, Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), Chikungunya, and SARS-CoV-2 among others. IIL's Zika vaccine, developed in partnership with Griffith University, Australia, has completed extensive pre-clinical evaluations.

Zika, a mosquito-borne viral infection mostly transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, poses serious risks during pregnancy. In India, several states have reported Zika cases, with 537 registered as of July 2024. Currently, no vaccine exists for Zika prevention.

(With inputs from agencies.)