CEPI to grant $14 mn for trial of Bharat Biotech's Chikungunya vaccine

The vaccine completed standard pre-clinical studies, and an optimum immune response was elicited by the adjuvant vaccine in phase-1 trials in India

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations(CEPI) has signed an agreement to fund a consortium of Hyderabad-based vaccine maker Bharat Biotech (BBIL) and the International vaccine Institute (IVI) to fund up to $14 million to advance the development of a Chikungunya vaccine.

The consortium will be further supported with a grant of up to $2 million from the Indian Government's Ind-CEPI initiative, which will fund the setting up of manufacturing facilities for the vaccine in India, and subsequent manufacture of clinical trial material.

The investment is