HLL Lifecare has floated a wholly owned subsidiary, HLL Biotech Ltd, to execute the integrated vaccine complex coming up at Chengalpattu in Tamil Nadu.

The Rs 594-crore vaccine complex aims to boost the country's vaccine security, an HLL Lifecare spokesman said here on Monday.

The first phase of the Complex will have an annual capacity of 585 million doses, and will be completed within 36 months.

It will manufacture pentavalent combination, BCG, measles, hepatitis B, human rabies, Hib and Japanese Encephalitis vaccines.

“Of the total project cost, Rs 28 crore has already been released,” said Mr M. Ayyappan, Chairman and Managing Director, HLL Lifecare.

“We have also started preliminary works on-site at the 100-acre area. A project office has started functioning with sufficient staff, including a project officer.”

It will help considerably reduce the country's dependence on imports, Mr Ayyappan said.

Pre-qualified by the World Health Organisation, the facility will also have capacity to manufacture futuristic meningococcal, rotaviral, dengue and pneumococcal vaccines.

These will be made available from its multi-bacterial and multi-viral facilities to meet any epidemic or pandemic situations, Mr Ayyappan added.

R&D INITIATIVE

The IVC also seeks to develop a strong R&D base, apart from manufacturing and supplying an estimated 75 per cent of the vaccines required for the UIP.

A market leader in contraceptives, HLL Lifecare has since diversified into project consultancy and healthcare products, among others.

A mini ratna public sector undertaking, it aims to become a Rs 10,000-crore company by 2020.

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