Bharat Biotech’s New Cholera Game-Changer Vaccine
The Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) announced the launch of Hillchol on Tuesday. Hillchol is a highly effective single-strain oral cholera vaccine created by BBIL under a licence from Hillmen Laboratories. The effectiveness of this vaccine can be predicted by the fact that Global demand for OCV exceeds 100 million doses annually.
The Indian multinational biotechnology company BBIL shared that it aims to produce up to 200 million doses of OCV annually amid the shortage of cholera treatment. Bharat Biotech is also looking forward to applying for the World Health Organisation’s pre-qualification to supply the vaccine to buyers like the UN Children’s Agency (UNICEF).
The company told Reuters, “Our intention is to first help the African continent, where the situation is worse. And if any African country wants to procure the drug substance from us and do the final manufacturing there, we’re also open to it.”
The late-stage trial of OCV involved 3,600 Indian participants. After the clinical process, it was confirmed that OCV is safe and non-inferior. The vaccine is suitable for individuals over one year old and is stored at 2 degrees Celsius to 8 degrees Celsius. It has to be administered orally at a gap of 14 days.
BBIL has refused to disclose the price of OCV. Meanwhile, Margaret Harris, the spokesperson for WHO, shared that the vaccine’s pre-qualification will depend on proof of efficiency, safety, and a good manufacturing process.
WHO shared 249,793 cholera cases, and 2,137 deaths were reported in 25 nations in the first half of the year. In 2023, 166,442 cases and 49 deaths were reported in the same period. It marks a huge growth in disease. Hopefully, Hillchol will help nations control the cholera outbreak soon.
