01 September 2022 | News
Serum Institute of India calls for more collaboration between Private and Government sectors for manufacturing of vaccines and drugs in India
Image Credit: PIB
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh has announced India’s first indigenously developed vaccine, CERVAVAC for the prevention of cervical cancer.
Announcing the scientific completion of the quadrivalent Human Papilloma Virus (qHPV) vaccine in presence of Adar C Poonawalla, CEO, Serum Institute of India, Pune and other prominent scientists and dignitaries, Dr Singh said, this affordable and cost-effective vaccine marks an important day for DBT and BIRAC as it takes India a step closer to PM Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The vaccine would be costing Rs 200-400 per dose.
CERVAVAC is an outcome of a partnership of DBT and BIRAC with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, supported by Serum Institute of India for the indigenous development of quadrivalent vaccine through its partnership programme ‘Grand Challenges India’. Dr Singh said, academia, industries and research should become equal partners in the true spirit of Integrated Approach for result-oriented products.
Dr N Kalaiselvi, DG, CSIR in her address said that the cancer vaccine will help Indian women and women across the globe in a major way and we may see in near future the version 1, 2 and 3 of CERVAVAC, as technologies are short-lived.