Indian swine flu vaccine by early next year

India first indigenous vaccine against swine flu is now being tested on animals. Once it proves to be safe, clinical trials on humans will be undertaken and the vaccine is likely to hit the market early next year.


India has never produced flu vaccines in the past because flu is not known to be a big killer here. But after the H1N1 pandemic reached the country, large Indian companies like Serum Institute have stepped in and are now carrying out trials of the vaccine that has been developed in India for the first time.

The vaccine is being tested on animals in sterile rooms at the institute now and once it is cleared phase one human clinical trials will begin.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had approached Serum Institute to set up a flu facility after the bird flu outbreak in 2006. The one-and-a-half year's work put in on the bird flu vaccine helped fast track the H1N1 vaccine. "We are ready with the vaccine but it has to go through all the tests," says Cyrus Poonawala, MD, Serum Institute.

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