Bharat Biotech launches first vaccine candidate Zikavac for Zika virus

One of the possible vaccines is “recombinant”, which means it is created by genetic engineering, while the other was “inactivated”, and will enter pre-clinical trials in animals in two weeks, Bharat Biotech managing director Krishna Ella said. On the time frame for rolling out the vaccine, he said: “It all depends on the government”. Swaminathan said it was premature to comment on the two vaccine candidates, but the ICMR had put together a group of experts to examine their validity. He said that the company had invested over $150 million since its inception to build a portfolio of vaccines.

Zika Virus is spreading rapidly in the Americas, Brazil and few other countries around the world.

GeoVax’s senior vice president of research and development, Farshad Guirakhoo, PhD, will lead the company’s effort in developing the vaccine.

In the absence of knowledge on viral pathogenesis and immune correlates required for protection, an early start in vaccine development has nevertheless provided a fair advantage to face the eventuality of an epidemic outbreak in the region added. And the transmission of this disease is mainly through mosquito and recently U.S. study claims that Zika virus is transmitted through Sex.

Zika virus, which transmits through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, is now affecting 22 countries according to WHO.

The virus has been reported in more than 30 countries and linked to microcephaly, in which babies have abnormally small heads and improperly developed brains.

Florida Governor Rick Scott said: “Today I am directing Surgeon General Dr. John Armstrong to declare a public health emergency in the four counties that have individuals with the Zika virus”.

Two companies, French drug maker Sanofi Aventis and Takeda pharmaceuticals in Japan also announced on Wednesday projects to develop a Zika virus vaccine. “That’s how we started working on Zika vaccine”. Scientists say that cases of Zika virus were found in Asia in 1950 and in Pakistan in 1977-78.

” given that female of childbearing age and expectant mothers would be the primary target class for Zika virus vaccine, security is considered by us whilst the overriding element in the improvement of a vaccine for this disease. We are mobilising our public health system and our assistance clinics and all necessary resources to help the children affected by microcephaly” President Rouseff said.