Hyderabad-based vaccines manufacturer Bharat Biotech has announced a breakthrough in developing the world’s first Zika vaccine by developing two candidates. In this regard, the pharmaceutical company has submitted two vaccine candidates, one each of inactivated and recombinant type to the Government. Key facts These two candidates are in an advanced stage of development and could be ready soon after pre-clinical studies concluded in the next five months. The company already has filed patents for both candidates in July 2015 and is looking to start animal tests soon after getting regulatory approvals for conducting clinical trials. It should be noted that this company was able to achieve this medical breakthrough because it had earlier successfully developed vaccine on vector borne Chikungunya disease which is also transmitted by Aedes mosquito similar to Zika virus. Inactivated vaccine: It consists of the disease-causing microbe which is killed with chemicals, radiation or heat. These microbes are grown under controlled conditions and are rendered non-infectious in order to reduce antigenicity. It is more stable and safer vaccine compared to vaccines using live microbes. Recombinant DNA vaccine: It is produced through the recombinant DNA technology. This technology involves inserting the DNA encoding antigen (such as a bacterial surface protein) that stimulates immune response. It generally uses an attenuated virus or bacterium to introduce microbial DNA to cells of the body.
