KCR launches Shantha’s polio vaccine

The company is the first to supply IPVs via UNICEF to India’s UIP

Hyderabad: Following introduction of IPV under Universal Immunisation programme (UIP), Sanofi Pasteur, a vaccine division of Sanofi, has announced launch of ShanIPV, an injectable inactivated polio vaccine, which will secure the future of millions of children in India.

The vaccine is launched by the Telangana Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao here on Friday at a simple meeting in the Secretariat. The vaccine will be produced by Shantha Biotechnics at its Hyderabad facility.

Though IPVs priced at Rs 1050 per unit in the international market, it will be supplied to UNICEF at Rs 55 only. UNICEF has already indented for 2.5 million doses of this vaccine and will be supplied to both the Telugu speaking states free of cost. Even central government also indented for this vaccine.

Declared as a polio-free nation in 2014, heralding a great victory over the disease, India’s current war will be waged against its reemergence. The country is now focusing on the next and final step of polio eradication, the final elimination of all vaccine-related and vaccine-derived polio viruses.

Both Sanofi Pasteur and Shantha will provide the majority of vaccine doses needed for the introduction by the end of 2016. All vaccines (both Imovax Polio of Sanofi Pasteur and ShanIPV of Shantha) will be delivered to India through UNICEF. ShanIPV is a ‘made in India’ vaccine, manufactured in Hyderabad through technology transfer from Sanofi Pasteur.

Responding, Sanofi India, Managing Director, Shailesh Ayyangar said, “The company is playing a key role in achieving the goal of polio-free world.” Shantha’s ED and COO, Mahresh Bhalgat said, “The company will manufacture massive quantities of high-quality, safe and efficacious IPV vaccines and will meet the timeline set by the government.”