WHO Approves Zydus Lifesciences’ Typhoid Vaccine For UN Procurement

New Delhi: Indian multinational pharmaceutical company Zydus Lifesciences Ltd on Wednesday announced that its Typhoid Vi conjugate vaccine, ZyVac TCV, has received in-principle approval from the World Health Organization (WHO), paving the way for the vaccine to be eligible for purchase by United Nations (UN) procurement agencies.

With this, the vaccine would be distributed globally in regions most affected by typhoid fever, the pharma said in an exchange filing.

ZyVac TCV is developed and manufactured at the Zydus Biotech Park in Ahmedabad. The vaccine is designed to offer active immunisation against infections caused by Salmonella typhi, a bacterium responsible for typhoid fever. The vaccine will be available for use by a broad age group, from individuals aged between 6 months and 65 years.

With WHO’s prequalification, ZyVac TCV can now be included in the UN’s procurement programme. This is significant as UN agencies procure over 150 million doses of typhoid conjugate vaccines annually to address the prevalence of typhoid in regions such as India, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The vaccine’s eligibility for such large-scale distribution is expected to make a substantial impact in combating typhoid fever, especially in high-risk areas.

Earlier this month, the pharma also received tentative approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to manufacture Enzalutamide tablets, a generic drug used in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Source : Business Standard