Shantha Biotech develops first indigenous DTPH vaccine

Shantha Biotechnics, engaged in the development of biotech healthcare products, announced the availability of a combination DTPH vaccine, Shantetra, the first indigenously developed and produced four-in-one vaccine. The vaccine protects children against four life-threatening infections "" Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis and Hepatitis B.

"We are proud to be the first Indian company to indigenously develop (all components) this combination vaccine. This is the outcome of our concentrated efforts in developing new generation vaccines. Our new vaccine formulation, Shantetra, combines high degree of safety and strong immunogenicity," Varaprasad Reddy, managing director of Shantha Biotechnics, said.

According to Reddy, as of now the three-dose DTPH vaccine is being produced by only two multinationals which are marketing the combination at Rs 225 per dose.

Shantha Biotechnics will be selling its new vaccine at a much lesser price. At present, the world market for DTPH vaccine is 390 million doses per annum. Of this, India accounts for 75 million doses a year.

He said that the company was expecting to corner a 30 per cent share in the world DTPH vaccine market. It was hopeful of obtaining World Health Organisation (WHO) pre-qualification by December this year for entering the global market. Meanwhile, the sale of the vaccine would be confined to the domestic market.

Shantha's earlier product, Shanvac-B, an r-DNA Hepatitis B vaccine, was pre-qualified by WHO for supplying to UN agencies.

In fact, the company was contributing up to 40 per cent of vaccines required under the UNICEF vaccination programme in the country, Reddy said, adding that DTP and Hepatitis-B vaccines were part of the universal immunisation schedule for children.

Stating that Shantetra was the seventh product being launched by the company, he said that Shantha Biotechnics was aiming at expanding its current vaccines portfolio by launching new generation vaccines in the near future.

It was also working towards developing single dose vaccination for Hepatitis B and DTP.