Research leader makes healthcare affordable

14 June 2010 | News

9
Shantha Biotechnics

Head:
Dr KI Varaprasad Reddy (MD)

Business:
Research, development, manufacturing and marketing of biotechnology-based human healthcare products



Startup Year:
1993

Address:
Serene Chambers, 3rd Floor, Banjara Hills, Road No. 7, Hyderabad-500034, Andhra Pradesh

Tel:
+91-40-23548507

Fax:
+91-40-23548476

Website:
www.shanthabiotech.com
Shantha Biotechnics, acquired by Sanofi-aventis Group in August 2009, registered Rs 334.23 crore turnover in FY 2009-10 as against Rs 247 crore the previous year. In 2009, Sanofi held approximately 95 percent of Shantha's shares. Shantha generated net sales of approximately Rs 284 crore (€50 mn) in 2009. The company generated net sales of Rs 96.58 crore (€17 mn) since the acquisition date.

Shantha Biotechnics is the first Indian company to develop, manufacture and market a recombinant human healthcare product in India. It is currently focusing its R&D efforts on the development of generic biologicals, novel therapeutic antibodies, proteins and vaccines. The company conducts exploratory research in the fields of oncology, infectious diseases and platform technologies.

Shantha Biotechnics has started the phase II clinical trial for rotavirus vaccine at CMC, Vellore. It has plans to start the phase III trial in August 2010. “Before the second quarter of 2010 we will launch the rotavirus vaccine,� said Dr Varaprasad Reddy, managing director, Shantha Biotechnics.

The company is taking initiatives to start the phase I study of typhoid polysaccharide vaccine. Simultaneously, it is working on conjugated typhoid vaccine that is more effective with less side effects. The vaccine is getting ready for trials. The other products in development include the pneumococcal vaccine and a HPV vaccine, which are being developed in collaboration with John Hopkins University. The company hopes to finish all the studies within four years and the vaccine will be launched in 2014. Dr Reddy said, “If we get the IPV vaccine from Sanofi we will combine it with our pentavalent vaccine and make a hexavalent vaccine.�

Shantha's Shanvac-B is the first Indian hepatitis B vaccine to be pre-qualified by the WHO, for supplying to the UN agencies globally. Today, Shantha caters to major international markets including Asia-Pacific, Africa, CIS and Latin America in addition to supra nations like UNICEF and PAHO. Shantha is also working on therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and pegylated proteins.

The company extends its in-house expertise, core competencies and skill in development of vaccines and biologicals to carry out contract research services. Contract research is undertaken at Shantha's 50,000 sq.ft R&D center. The center is well-equipped with the world-class instruments and other support facilities.

The contract research work focus on areas like gene cloning, monoclonal antibody development, expression and purification of recombinant proteins by fermentation, fermentation and purification process optimization, development of polyclonal antibodies, and analytical methods.

Shantha has targeted infectious diseases and oncology as its primary areas of interest for conducting R&D activities. It has also taken up collaborative research with premier national and international research organizations.

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