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Government to finance Hepatitis B vaccine project

By P. Sunderarajan

NEW DELHI, APRIL 2. There is some cheering news on the vaccination front. The Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Ministry of Science and Technology has agreed to provide a loan of Rs. 9 crores for the project of the Hyderabad-based Shantha Biotech to produce an indigenous combination vaccine against Hepatitis B and DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus). The decision was taken at a meeting of the Board here on Wednesday.

Speaking to The Hindu , Varaprasada Reddy, Managing Director of the company, said the new vaccine was expected to be available in the market by September. Almost all stages of trial had already been conducted successfully. The final round of clinical trial is expected to be completed by August.

A major advantage with the vaccine, he said, was that it would be available at a cost of about Rs. 50 per dose, as against the price of Rs. 150 per dose charged by the Glaxo SmithKline, which is the only other company in the world to produce such a combination vaccine against Hepatitis B and DPT. The efficacy is expected to be the same. As per studies conducted so far, three doses of vaccine would provide 100 per cent protection. After the initial dose, the first booster dose would have to be administered four weeks later and the next booster shot six weeks after that.

The project had been in the pipeline for about one and a half years now and involved an investment of Rs. 39 crores. Apart from the assistance from the TDB, the company has taken a loan of Rs. 20 crores from the Exim Bank. The remaining Rs. 10 crores is met from the internal resources of the company.

Mr. Reddy said the company has proposed to apply for certification from the WHO so that the vaccine could be supplied to the UNICEF and other international organisations.

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