Hyd pharma giant Biological E Ltd pairs up with Baylor College for Covid-19 vaccine
By Newsmeter Network Published on 14 Aug 2020 6:53 AM GMT
Hyderabad, August 13th: The local pharmaceutical company Biological E Limited has decided to collaborate with the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, to develop a safe, effective, and affordable COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
The Hyderabad based pharma giant has licensed the recombinant protein vaccine candidate developed at Baylor. Owing to the company's past experience of producing a vaccine with a proved yeast-based expression technology, it was able to harness the license to develop this further.
Mahima Datla, managing director of BE, said, "BE is pleased to be a part of the global scientific effort aimed at exploring ways to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership with Baylor would help accelerate the development of an affordable vaccine, especially for India and other low- and middle-income nations."
Officials at the National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College, said that since India has risen to the 3rd spot in COVID positive cases, it is a cause of worry for growing infections.
To further the development of the vaccine, the team is now focusing upon the transfer of technologies that can help BE accelerate the manufacturing process.
Hyderabad based Biological E Limited was founded in 1953 and was the first pharmaceutical company in southern India. It is known for developing, manufacturing, and supplying vaccines and therapeutics to over 100 countries.
The company currently has eight vaccines pre-qualified by the World Health Organisation in its portfolio.
Meanwhile, the company has also entered into an agreement with Janssen Pharmaceutica of Johnson & Johnson, for enhancing the manufacturing capabilities of the latter's COVID-19 vaccine candidate- Ad26.COV2.S.
The vaccine is currently in phase 1/2a of clinical trials.
Narender Dev Mantena, head of BE's vaccine development arm BioE Holdings Inc, said, "We look forward to deploying our manufacturing infrastructure to support Johnson & Johnson's commitment to global access for its COVID-19 vaccine ."
