Hyderabad-based Indian Immunologicals to manufacture measles-rubella vaccine

Hyderabad: Vaccine manufacturer Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) on Monday announced that it has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India and State Drug Control Administration for manufacturing of Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine.

The vaccine is the outcome of Indo-Vietnam partnership, where IIL partnered with the Centre for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals, also called Polyvac, Vietnam.

What is Measles?

Measles causes severe, sometimes permanent, complications, including pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and even death. Measles is caused by a virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person and spreads easily through breathing, coughing, and sneezing. There is no specific antiviral drug available to treat measles. The best way is to prevent measles through vaccination. Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect people from measles.

Measles kills nearly 50,000 children every year in India. As there is not enough evidence to suggest that mumps is a disease of public health importance, MR vaccine is being used instead of MMR vaccine in India for routine immunisation.

Measles vaccination in India

India, along with other WHO Southeast Asia Region member countries, have resolved to eliminate measles and control rubella/congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). In this direction, the ministry of health and family welfare has been running measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in the age group of 9 months to less than 15 years in a phased manner across the nation.

The Measles-Rubella campaign is a part of global efforts to reduce illness and deaths due to measles and rubella/CRS in the country. Measles immunization directly contributes to the reduction of under-five child mortality, and in combination with rubella vaccine, it will control rubella and prevent CRS.

Under an exclusive agreement, Polyvac, Vietnam will supply the measles vaccine component to IIL. Rubella vaccine component will be produced by IIL to manufacture a combined MR vaccine. This Live Attenuated MR vaccine adds to the list of several other vaccines that IIL supplies to Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) of India. This vaccine has been proven through extensive human clinical trials to be immunogenic and safe for people of 9 months to 49 years.

Dr. K. Anand Kumar, managing director of Indian Immunologicals Limited, said, “We started with humble beginnings with Polyvac in 2016 and worked tirelessly throughout, including the tough Covid-19 period. We have successfully completed all phases of product development to the satisfaction of the regulatory authorities in India.

Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine is listed in the UIP of India and is an important vaccine for our country. IIL’s collaborative effort will help in the immunisation of several million children against measles and rubella and thereby save lives.”