An injectable inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) manufactured by Shantha Biotechnics, Hyderabad, through technology transfer from Sanofi Pasteur, was launched on Friday by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Handing over the first sample of five-dose pack of ShanIPV, the vaccine, to Sony Kutty George, the UNICEF representative on child protection, the Chief Minister said it was matter of pride that the vaccine is made in Telangana. He also signed a congratulatory message to Shanta Biotechnics.
Highly effective IPV
The IPV is highly effective in preventing paralytic disease caused by all three types of polio virus and carries no risks.
The launch of the new vaccine comes at a time when no polio cases are reported in the country for the last four years and the country is switching from oral polio vaccine to IPV since OPV has one per cent of failure risk.
Announcing the launch of the trivalent inactivated IPV, a release said Sanofi Pasteur and Shantha will provide majority of vaccine doses required for the introduction of the IPV by India under the Universal Immunisation Programme by end of 2016.
The vaccines are to be delivered to the country through UNICEF.
Low cost
Shanta Biotechnics chairman K.I. Varaprasad Reddy hoped that the vaccine would provide a permanent solution towards eradication of polio. It was the result of five years of research by Shantha Biotechnics, he said, adding that though the IPVs were priced Rs.1,050 per unit in the international market, Shanta Biotechnics would supply them to the UNICEF and the government of India at Rs.55 each. UNICEF had already indented for 2.5 million doses of the vaccine and the Centre had also given order for its supply. ShanIPV, currently approved for use in the Indian market, will make its contribution as the country is poised to progress to the next and final step of polio eradication - the final elimination of all vaccine-related and vaccine-derived polio viruses.
When Mr. Reddy referred to water shortage faced by Shantha Biotechnics unit near Medchal, the Chief Minister instructed the GHMC Commissioner to provide water supply at the earliest.
Cancer care centre
Mr. Rao also assured that the State Government would extend all help to the company in starting a cancer care centre for terminal patients.
