An Indian biotech start up has developed a promising candidate vaccine to combat pneumonia. Tergene Biotech, founded by M Kuppusamy, a biotechnologist and veteran in the vaccine industry is currently doing pre-clinical trials of the vaccine, which is targeted to tackle the specific types of bacteria that cause pneumonia in India, South Asia and Africa.

At present the global market, estimated to be $5 billion is dominated by three multinationals.

“We expect to hit the market in the next 2-3 years, with the vaccine. The existing one’s are tailored to help prevent pneumonia caused by sero types (there are 90 identified so far) of bacteria in the western nations”, said Pushpa Vijayaraghavan, Vice-President of Sathguru Management, which has helped Tergene through its journey of developing the vaccine and setting up facilities.

Tergene is deploying novel vaccine technology to cut time and cost and make the vaccine affordable. At the current price of close to $60 (Rs 3,500 per dose. Course is three doses) the vaccine is inaccessible to most of the population in India and other Asian/African where disease burden is highest and is the largest cause of death of children.

The research efforts of the Hyderabad-based firm got a boost when pharma major Aurobindo Pharma picked up majority equity. In the development, getting pre-qualification from the WHO and the Global Alliance for Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) and marketing phase the company will get full support from Aurobindo through a joint venture formed specially for the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, Pushpa told Business Line.

Serum Institute and Panacea Biotech are the other two Indian institutions which are also working on potential vaccines to combat pneumonia.

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