Merck plans Rs 750-cr vaccine lab in India

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MSD, the Indian unit of US-based pharmaceutical major Merck, plans to set up a laboratory for developing vaccines with an investment of $150 million (Rs 750 crore). The lab, MSD Wellcome Trust Hilleman Laboratories (the Hilleman Labs), is a joint venture between Merck & Co, Inc (which operates in India as MSD Pharmaceuticals) and the Wellcome Trust (a London-headquartered research charity).

The lab, set to come up at Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University campus, will focus on developing vaccines pertaining to various diseases prevalent in tropical countries. But it’ll be available to the developed world, as well. “It’s the developing world where the prevalence rate of many of the diseases is high,” pointed out a pharma analyst. “This is the opportunity that pharma companies are trying to tap.”

To its credit, Hilleman Laboratories has developed a rotavirus vaccine that is said to have 90 per cent efficacy against severe rotavirus gastroenteritis. This allows for greater temperature consistency and less reliance on exact storage timing and refrigeration. MSD, meanwhile, set up a call centre in Hyderabad, which has well-qualified dedicated counsellors, who counsel patients, for instance, on the type of diet.

“From seeing the popularity of this, we have extended the service to Australia and Phillippines,” said K G Ananthakrishnan, managing director, MSD Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd.

To make the facility more inclusive, the call centre provides its services in 10 Indian languages.“So, it doesn’t matter if the patient is calling from Assam, Kerala or Karnataka,” he added.

There’s call centre personnel who can answer you, hence adding value to patients,” he added.

The company says, its opportunities are built on partnerships. It has partnered Sun for co-marketing some products. The company also has manufacturing partnerships and research partnerships to leverage on mutual strengths. It has partnerships with Piramal Healthcare, Orchid, among others, including a research partnership with Serum Institute.

Some vaccines could be launched from India, according to MSD. The company said it would eventually be able to cover the entire spectrum with its vaccines. It has Gardasil, which is a market leader among vaccines targetting the human papilloma virus that is responsible for causing cervical cancer. Also, it has vaccines aimed at preventing many an ailment in children.

It also has a partnership with the Population Foundation of India.