Homegrown pharma major Panacea Biotec today said it is working on four vaccines, including those for treating anthrax and Japanese encephalitis.
"We are currently working on four vaccines for anthrax, dengue, Japanese encephalitis and hepatitis-A. Phase I and II trials for anthrax vaccine have been completed, which is ready for regulatory approvals," Panacea Biotec Joint Managing Director Rajesh Jain told reporters here today.The company would also set up its fifth R&D centre, with a strength of 100 scientists, in Navi Mumbai, he said adding, the centre would be operational by next year.
Panacea today entered into a manufacturing and marketing agreement with Indonesian state-run drug company, PT Bio Farma, to supply their measles vaccine in India as well as other global markets.
As part of the agreement, the company would procure bulk vaccines from PT Bio Farma and formulate it into a finished product, which would be sold in India and other defined global markets.
"There is a shortage of measles vaccine in the Indian market with only one company manufacturing such formulations. Panacea plans to fill this demand supply gap with this new deal," Jain said.
The medicine is expected to be ready by end of 2007 and would be available in the market by 2008, he said.
Apart from India, the company would also market the vaccine to UNICEF, African countries, Latin America, Asian region and countries in the middle east, Jain added.
Source:PTI News
