Biological E vaccine prequalified by WHO

Hyderabad-based biopharmaceutical company Biological E (BioE) on Monday stated the World Health Organisation (WHO) has prequalified its Japanese Encephalitis vaccine for global use in adults. The company expects that paediatric indication will also be prequalified by the end of the year.

BioE stated in a press release that WHO prequalification was a key step for distribution of the vaccine in developed countries.
 
BioE has developed the vaccine based on the technology of Valneva SE, a French biotech company.  The two companies entered into a partnership in 2005 and the vaccine is currently being marketed in India under the trade name JEEV.   

"It is an extremely important achievement for vaccines community as our vaccine's prequalification is well in time to support GAVI's plans of introducing the JE vaccine in several developing countries," BioE managing director, Mahima Datla, said.

GAVI Alliance (formerly Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) is a public-private partnership committed to saving children's lives and protecting people's health by increasing access to immunisation in poor countries.

BioE had recently entered into a five-year pentavalent supply arrangement with GAVI for forming a joint venture with GlaxoSmithkline to create a six-in-one paediatric vaccine combining GSK's IPV and BioE's pentavalent vaccine.