The Indian Ministry of Science & Technology’s Technology Development Board (TDB) has signed a development and commercialization agreement with Hyderabad-based Sapigen Biologix, committing ₹100 crores to development of a novel intranasal vaccine against COVID-19 and a vaccine against malaria, the ministry said. The ministry said that the TDB funding will cover approximately one third of the cost of the project, which will include a new cGMP vaccine manufacturing facility. Sapigen aims to produce 100 million doses of intranasal COVID-19 vaccine per year by April 2023.
Sapigen Biologix is led by Bharat Biotech Chairman Krishna Ella. According to the announcement, the intranasal COVID-19 vaccine is based on chimpanzee adenovirus vector technology from the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine in St Louis. Bharat Biotech acquired rights to that technology outside of the US, Europe, and Japan in September 2020.
TDB Secretary Rajesh Kumar Pathak commented, “The Indian pharma companies, not only providing the yeoman service to the nation but also are instrumental in providing the medicines and vaccines at affordable cost to the entire world and thus transforming India as ‘The Pharmacy of the World.’ TDB’s support to such Indian pharma companies over the years, engaged in indigenous manufacturing of vaccines has contributed immensely to the development & setting up of the vaccine manufacturing ecosystem in India and meeting the Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India Mission).”
Read the Technology Development Board press release.
