Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech will acquire Chiron Behring Vaccines Pvt Ltd from GlaxoSmithKline Asia for an undisclosed sum.

Chiron Behring Vaccines is located in Ankleshwar, Gujarat. It is one of the largest manufacturers of rabies vaccines in the world.

Announcing this at a press conference held here on Friday, Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Biotech said the deal will be an all cash transaction to be completed in coming weeks.

Chiron has about 250 staff and has a World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalified plant with a turnover of about Rs 200 crore.

This acquisition will help Bharat Biotech to establish itself as a leader in rabies vaccine manufacturing, Ella said.

While Bharat Biotech now has a capacity to make 10 million doses, Chiron has 15 million capacity for rabies vaccine.

Chiron has access to 37 countries for rabies vaccine and Bharat Biotech can now reach them in addition to 70 countries where it’s already present.

Globally as well as India, there is a shortage of rabies vaccine

Indian market needs 35 million doses and now there is shortage of about 15 million doses. “Now, we will be shipping at least 30 to 40 pc of Chiron rabies vaccine doses to India,” Ella said.

Bharat Biotech is aiming at becoming world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines in terms of product portfolio in next three to four years, Ella said.

Bharat Biotech now has 16 different vaccine product which may go up to 22 soon.

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