MSD launches diarrhoea vaccine 'RotaTeq' in India

Drug firm MSD, the fully owned subsidiary of Merc & Co, today announced the launch of a diarrhoea vaccine 'RotaTeq' for infants and children in India.

RotaTeq is a pentavalent rotavirus vaccine that helps in preventing rotavirus gastroenteritis, a leading cause of severe and life threatening diarrhoea in young children.

In India, rotavirus is associated with 39.2% of all diarrhoea-related hospital admissions among children aged less than five years.

According to estimates, nearly six lakh children die of rotavirus each year globally.

"We are launching the vaccine at Rs 900 a dose for private market in the country," MSD Managing Director in India K G Ananthakrishnan told reporters here.

While the first dosage of the oral three dose RotaTeq vaccine could be administered between six and twelve weeks of age, the subsequent doses need to be given at a minimal interval of four weeks between each dosage. It can be given upto the age of six years.

The company will produce the vaccine in the US and then import and market it in India.

The company, however declined to provide details of the revenue generation from the sale of the vaccine.

"India suffers from a high disease burden of rotavirus associated diarrhoea which also leads to high child mortality in the country. As a part of our commitment to address the unmet medical needs in the country, MSD has launched RotaTeq in India," Ananthakrishnan said.

Meanwhile, MSD Pharmaceuticals has formed a 50:50 joint venture 'Hilleman Laboratories' with UK-based Wellcome Trust to develop a heat resistant rotavirus diarrhoea vaccine in India.

In India, MSD operates through three separate legal entities -- MSD Pharmaceuticals, Organon India and Fulford India.