Bharat Biotech launches first typhoid vaccine

Hyderabad: Bharat Biotech launched world’s first clinically proven typhoid conjugate vaccine Typbar-TCV ™ for infants six months old and older and adults in Hyderabad on Monday. Bharath Biotech and International Vaccine Institute(IVI) collaborated in bringing the vaccine for the public. They felt that the new vaccine will bring a hope to millions of infants and adults against typhoid fever which is caused by Salmonella typhi , a highly virulent and invasive enteric bacterium.

“It is a fourth generation vaccine against typhoid disease, which has been proved to provide long term protection to adults as well as infants and older people. Typbar-TCV was safe and well tolerated in all tested age groups, ” said Dr Christian Loucq, MD and Director-General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). They have entered into an agreement with global markets such as South Africa, South America, Central Asia ,South Asia and South-East Asia (including India). The capacity of the plant is to produce 10 million doses a year, and is expandable to 50 million doses in future. Bharat Biotch is the largest producer and supplier.

Dr Krishna M Ella, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech, praised the great efforts put up by his team of scientists. “We hope this vaccine will reach millions of people and help reduce the burden of this devastating disease in infants and children.”

Still typhoid fever remains a big threat to public health not only in India but many countries across the world. Though there are fundamental prevention strategies like improved sanitation, good hygienic practices and access to clean water, one of the most cost-effective approaches to prevent this infectious ailment is vaccine which is now available.

“ This disease is transmitted through food or drink contaminated by the faeces or urine of infected people. It is affecting mostly in school-age children. In India, typhoid fever is observed throughout the year and a greater number of cases coincide with the rainy season. Its symptoms include high fever, headache, diarrhea, constipation etc. It causes between 2, 50,000 to 6, 00,000 deaths and 20 million illnesses per year,” added Dr Christian Loucq.