HYDERABAD: Three years after a bitter public spat over quality of their Covid-19 vaccines, arch-rivals Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SII) have joined forces for global polio eradication.
Bharat Biotech will procure the drug substance for its oral polio vaccine (OPV) - Biopolio - from SII's wholly-owned Dutch subsidiary, Bilthoven Biologicals BV (BBio). Bharat Biotech, which is one of the largest OPV manufacturers globally with a capacity to produce half a billion (500m) doses annually, procures the drug substances from other players and does the production and fill & finish of the vaccine at its own facilities in Hyderabad.
Bharat Biotech and BBio inked an agreement and will jointly obtain regulatory approvals and licenses for commercially manufacturing OPVs in India for global supplies. The collaboration is aimed at strengthening production and supply security of OPV. The collaboration will supply to Indian as well as global markets, the foes-turned-friends said in an official announcement on Tuesday.
The Bharat Biotech-SII vaccine war had erupted after SII CEO Adar Poonawala had said in an interview that only three Covid-19 vaccines in the world were proved to be efficacious - Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca-Oxford (Covishield).
Poonawalla's statements came on January 3, 2021, the day Covishield and Bharat Biotech's indigenously developed Covaxin received Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)'s approval.
Upset with Poonawalla's comments to the effect that all the other vaccines were "safe, just like water", Bharat Biotech founder Dr Krishna Ella had lashed out a day later and questioned the quality of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine clinical trials. Eventually, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) stepped in to broker peace between the two.
Covishield and Covaxin were the two key Covid-19 vaccines that India had relied on to vaccinate its nearly 1.4 billion population. The vaccines were also exported globally. Dr Ella and Poonawalla had on January 5, 2021, issued a joint statement pledging to work jointly to develop, manufacture and supply Covid-19 vaccines for India and the world.
Commenting on the polio alliance, the two players said as the world approaches the critical phase of global polio eradication, their collaboration will support the effort to create a polio-free world.
"The collaboration exemplifies cooperation between vaccine companies, ensuring a secure supply of oral polio vaccines and fortifies the nation's mission to eradicate polio," said Dr Ella. "Oral polio vaccines have been an integral part of the govt of India's universal immunisation programme (UIP) for several decades, with Bharat Biotech being one of the largest suppliers to immunisation programmes across the world," Dr Ella added.
Poonawalla said his company was "delighted to join forces with Bharat Biotech to reinforce the global supply of polio vaccines". "Our vision is to eradicate polio worldwide, taking a crucial step towards reducing the impact of this deadly disease on vulnerable populations," the Pune-based pharma baron added.
Explore the yearly horoscope 2025 for Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces zodiac signs. Spread love this holiday season with these New Year wishes, messages and quotes.
Start a Conversation
Post comment