Hilleman Laboratories, a joint-venture partnership between MSD and Wellcome Trust, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), an ICMR organization for further development and commercialization of the Shigella vaccines and other enteric vaccines for diarrheal diseases. This agreement was signed as an effort of Hilleman's mission to make affordable vaccines for the developing world population.
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Present at the press conference to announce the collaboration were Dr.Soumya Swaminathan, Director General of ICMR and Secretary, Department of Health Research - Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India; Dr
Shanta Dutta, Director,
NICED and Dr
Davinder Gill, Chief Executive Officer, Hilleman Labs.
Addressing the press conference at the signing-in, Dr. Davinder Gill said, "Shigella
is
the second most fatal
organism
after Rotavirus
that causes severe diarrhea in children
with no approved vaccine available
at this time.
We are pleased at this opportunity to collaborate with NICED
and
jointly
develop Shigella
vaccine for a disease whose basic
pathology is
not yet
properly understood. NICED
comes
with a variety of strengths in research and developing strategies for treatment, prevention and control of enteric infections.
This will also be a strategic shift for Hilleman, since till now, our focus has been to optimise existing vaccines
and
address the gaps in low resource settings."
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan added by saying, "This is a step in a new direction. India has
immense potential in clinical research, drug and device manufacturing and we would like to see more of these
types of partnerships
to happen within the country to realize the
'Make in India' dream."
Dr. Shanta Dutta said, "Vaccines are the most simple, powerful and cost-effective health intervention and an effective public health tool.
Our association with Hilleman Labs is in
alignment
with
NICED's mission to identify enteric infections, initiate appropriate multidisciplinary research and develop strategies for treatment, control and prevention of enteric infections.
We look
forward
at this as a
strong
partnership aspiring to unlock
new knowledge behind the
enteric disease like shigellosis
and to come up with appropriate and effective
preventive tool against this disease."
Hilleman Laboratories
Hilleman Laboratories is a first-of-its-kind joint-venture partnership formed between MSD a global research-driven pharmaceutical organization and Wellcome Trust, a global charitable foundation dedicated to human and animal health by supporting the brightest minds.
Contacts:
Geeta Lama
+91-708655058
SOURCE Hilleman Laboratories