Bharat Biotech on Monday launched what is claimed to be the world's first clinically proven typhoid conjugate vaccine, Typbar - TCV.
In contrast to the existing typhoid vaccines, conjugate vaccines provide long-term protection — for about 10 years — with a single dose.
“This vaccine induces T-cell dependent response with much higher antibody levels providing a very high rate of immunity,” Krishna M. Ella, CMD of Bharat Biotech, told newspersons here at the formal launch of the vaccine. The Hyderabad-based company invested Rs 65 crore in the development of the vaccine. It also sells a non-conjugate typhoid vaccine which offers protection up to two years. “We will now be competing with our own product but both will be sold,” he said.
The price of the vaccine would be fixed in about two weeks from now. At present, the Rs 300-crore company is earning up to Rs 45 crore from typhoid vaccine sales. “The new launch will take this up to Rs 100 crore from the typhoid segment,” Ella said.
Christian Loucq, Director-General of Seoul’s International Vaccine Institute, said world over 200 lakh people were affected annually by typhoid, out of which two lakh succumbed. About 62 per cent of these were in Pakistan and India.