Serum Institute to Launch Drug to Tackle Dengue in 3-4 Years
Asia’s largest vaccine maker just made a play that could affect the race for a vaccine protecting against dengue fever, a common affliction that has a big impact in the region.
Pune-based Serum Institute plans to launch a new vaccine for dengue in two years and a dengue vaccine in three to four years, chief executive Adar Poonawalla said.
There are no vaccines for dengue available presently in India.
“For dengue, we are coming out with a vaccine that is preventive so that you do not get it and a monoclonal antibody for those who are not protected. The vaccine will take some time. What’s coming earlier is the monoclonal,” Poonawalla said.
“What we have done is paid a huge sum to a US company called Visterra and exclusively tied up with them for developing the monoclonal for dengue,” he said.
According to the World Health Organization, 390 million dengue infections are globally recorded annually, of which 96 million manifests clinically. India has recorded one of the worst outbreaks this year with the Union Health Ministry noting 99,913 dengue cases and 220
deaths in 2015.Because of the dengue’s provenance in at least 128 countries, several companies and international organizations have developed candidate vaccines that are in various stages of development and commercial release. The most advanced is Dengvaxia, developed by French drugmaker Sanofi and recommended for use since December last in Brazil, Mexico, Philippines and El Salvador for those 9-45 years old.
Serum Institute will start phase-1 clinical trials for its dengue biologic drug in Singapore next month.
“We couldn’t do it (develop the dengue vaccine) in India as it would have taken us a very long time. As a norm, we will have to do a study in India but based on a larger study done in Singapore, we are hoping to get permission to do just a small bridging trial to prove that we are replicating the same thing in India,” Poonawalla said.
Over the next three years, the firm plans to launch 3-4 vaccines, including HPV for cervical cancer, pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate and pentavalent meningitis.
Serum Institute plans to enter European markets by 2020 and also start some product filings in the US, which is expected to boost revenue, he said.
