Indian Immunologicals Limited’s new facility in Genome Valley aims to eradicate Foot and Mouth Disease

Hyderabad: Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), a subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), is commencing construction of its new animal vaccine manufacturing plant at Genome Valley, Hyderabad, investing around Rs 700 crore.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, chairman of NDDB & IIL Dr Meenesh Shah said, “This new vaccine manufacturing facility in Hyderabad is dedicated to the nation and will certainly aid in the eradication of Foot and Mouth Disease in our country. IIL’s ability to discover and manufacture affordable vaccines has saved the exchequer several thousand crores of rupees.”

The biotechnology company IIL, dedicated to manufacturing and supplying life-saving vaccines, has started construction of its new greenfield veterinary vaccine facility to manufacture the Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine (FMD-Vac) as well as Foot and Mouth Disease + Haemorrhagic Septicaemia Vaccine (FMD+HS-Vac) in Hyderabad’s Genome valley.

This new unit will have a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) facility for the manufacture of drug substances and a Fill-Finish capability for the production of both drug products FMD vaccine and the FMD+HS vaccine.

Lab to produce 150 million doses annually

Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (TSIIC), a government of Telangana undertaking, had allotted the land to IIL at Biotech Park, Phase III, Karkapatla, Siddipet district in Telangana.

The proposed facility has a capacity of 150 million doses per annum of FMD vaccine or FMD+HS vaccine each. With an investment of approximately Rs 700 crore, the proposed facility is expected to create more than 750 direct and indirect jobs.

Production and export of vaccines

For the last four decades, IIL has been manufacturing animal and human vaccines. IIL also exports its products to more than 60 countries across the globe. IIL, headquartered in Hyderabad, is one of the largest producers of vaccines in Asia.

IIL was set up by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in 1982. IIL has multiple GMP manufacturing sites and exports to over 50 countries. IIL specialises in the development of various types of vaccines ranging from inactivated and live viral vaccines, polysaccharide conjugate vaccines, recombinant subunit vaccines, toxoid vaccines, and live bacterial vaccines.

Dr K Anand Kumar, Managing Director, IIL said, “We are the largest supplier of FMD vaccine to Government of India’s prestigious Livestock Health Disease Control Programme (LHDCP). We are in an exponential growth phase and expected to grow 40 per cent this year alone. To sustain the momentum, IIL is seriously considering making additional investments in building infrastructure within India and in other emerging geographies including Africa in a manner to develop tools that will help in control and eradication of diseases.”