ICMR to explore vaccine against 'WHO Blueprint Priority Pathogens': Govt

The ICMR has collaborated with two global institutions to explore available vaccine candidates against "WHO Blueprint Priority Pathogens", the government told Lok Sabha on Friday.

Minister of State for Health SP Singh Baghel was replying to a question on the steps being taken by the government to speed up the development of vaccines for "emerging/reemerging pathogens".

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has collaborated with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the International Vaccine Institute, Korea, for exploration of available vaccine candidates against "WHO Blueprint Priority Pathogens" and the feasibility of bringing available technology to India, he said.

On the steps being taken by the government to promote development and production of vaccines for diseases such as polio, smallpox and measles, Baghel said the ICMR has been designated as the secretariat for the National authority for Containment (NAC) of polio viruses.

The ICMR has approved three proposals for development of polio vaccines -- nOPV2 fill and finish and Sabine S19 IPV manufacturing at Biological E in Hyderabad, establishment of polio essential facility for setting up Sabine IPV manufacturing facility at Reliance Life Science Pvt Ltd, and establishment of polio essential facility for setting up Sabine IPV manufacturing facility at Bharat Biotech International Ltd.

It has been informed by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) that along with its industry-academia interface agency, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, it has facilitated strengthening of the ecosystem for vaccine development through various schemes and programmes, the Union minister said in a written reply.

The schemes and programmes include the National Biopharma Mission, the Mission Ind-CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) and the Mission COVID Suraksha, Baghel said.

The DBT has also taken steps to streamline bio-safety regulation, whereby, a rapid response regulatory framework for COVID-19 vaccine development was issued, he said and added that an online portal -- Indian Biosafety Knowledge Portal -- has also been launched for submission, processing and approval of applications.

The frequency of the meetings of the review committee on genetic manipulation has also been increased and are held every fortnight, the minister informed the House.

ICMR institutes -- National Institute of Virology, Pune; National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai; National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai; National Animal Resource Facility for Biomedical Research, Hyderabad; National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata; and the Delhi-based ICMR --are working on different aspects of vaccine research and development, Baghel said.

The DBT has informed that its three autonomous institutes -- National Institute of Immunology, Delhi; Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad; and Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneshwar -- have established facilities for development of animal models and assays for vaccine research, he said.