WHO approves Zydus Lifesciences' typhoid vaccine for UN procurement

Typhoid affects an estimated 11 to 21 million people annually, leading to between 117,000 and 161,000 deaths

Indian multinational pharmaceutical company Zydus Lifesciences Ltd on Wednesday announced that its Typhoid Vi conjugate vaccine, ZyVac TCV, has received in-principle approval from the World Health Organization (WHO), paving the way for the vaccine to be eligible for purchase by United Nations (UN) procurement agencies.

With this, the vaccine would be distributed globally in regions most affected by typhoid fever, the pharma said in an exchange filing.

ZyVac TCV is developed and manufactured at the Zydus Biotech Park in Ahmedabad. The vaccine is designed to offer active immunisation against infections caused by Salmonella typhi, a bacterium responsible for typhoid fever. The vaccine will be available for use by a broad age group, from individuals aged between 6 months and 65 years.

Typhoid cases in India

Typhoid fever is a serious, systemic febrile illness caused by ingesting contaminated food or water, leading to infection by the Salmonella enterica serovar typhi (S. typhi) bacterium.

According to data from GAVI (the Vaccine Alliance), the disease accounts for an estimated 11 to 21 million cases globally each year, with between 117,000 and 161,000 deaths attributed to the illness annually.

The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (Sage) highlights that a significant proportion of severe typhoid cases occur in children under five years of age, which contributes to 27 per cent of all reported cases. South Asia, particularly in India, accounts for 75 per cent of typhoid incidence and mortality in the region, the company said.

Global distribution of typhoid vaccine

With WHO's prequalification, ZyVac TCV can now be included in the UN’s procurement programme. This is significant as UN agencies procure over 150 million doses of typhoid conjugate vaccines annually to address the prevalence of typhoid in regions such as India, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The vaccine’s eligibility for such large-scale distribution is expected to make a substantial impact in combating typhoid fever, especially in high-risk areas.

Earlier this month, the pharma also received tentative approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to manufacture Enzalutamide tablets, a generic drug used in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Following this announcement, shares of Zydus Lifesciences were trading at Rs 1,007.35 on the BSE, up 1.94 per cent at 1:15 pm.