Hyderabad: Viral pathogens for the Zika virus strains have been sequenced by Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad, allowing it to create two vaccine components that will enter their preclinical animal trial phase in two-and-a-half months, company’s managing director Dr Krishna Ella said.
The company had begun work on the Zika vaccine, named Zikavac, in July 2015.
There are two vaccines that are being developed inactivated vaccine and recombinant vaccine.
The patent for the vaccine was registered with the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks in July 2015.
Dr Ella said, “We were working on the chikungunya vaccine and then found that in the early stages chikungunya, dengue and Zika have the same infections which are indistinguishable.
“For that reason there was an interest in this virus and the project was started.”
Zika virus was first isolated in 1947 from a rhesus monkey from the Zika forest in Uganda. The virus belongs to the flavivirus family.
From monkeys it was transmitted to mosquitoes and has now affected humans. Scientists say that cases of Zika virus were found in Asia in 1950 and in Pakistan in 1977-78.
“The virus was considered weak one but its present strain is very virulent which calls for emergency attention,” added Dr Ella.
Dr Sumathy, director of research and development said, “The viral pathogens of the virus and its immune collaterals have been developed.
Data will be given to DGCI
“This has helped us to take it for animal testing in two-and-a-half months. Animal testing takes five months and after that the data will be presented to the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) for clinical human trials,” added Dr Sumathy.
It is here that the vaccine has to stand a tough test as the data is very critically evaluated by the Drug Controller General of India.
The company has informed the Union ministry of health and family welfare and also the World Health Organisation (WHO)-India regarding the initial development of the vaccine. Sanofi and GSK Pharma also from the city have stated that they have the existing platform to create a vaccine, but no details have been shared.
