Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL), a wholly owned subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), on Saturday announced that it has launched India’s first indigenously developed Hepatitis A vaccine, Havisure.
The vaccine represents a significant step forward in India’s fight against Hepatitis A and is poised to make a substantial contribution to public health, the company claimed.
“The new vaccine, Havisure is the result of extensive research and development efforts by IIL’s dedicated team of scientists and researchers. This indigenously developed vaccine is poised to play a crucial role in preventing Hepatitis A, a highly contagious liver infection that poses a significant public health challenge. Hepatitis A is a viral infection primarily spread through the fecal-oral route, meaning that it is transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water,” the company said in a statement.
“The launch of Havisure is a testament to our commitment to advancing healthcare solutions for the nation. Currently Hepatitis A vaccines are imported into our country and as a true meaning of Atma Nirbhar Bharat, IIL has tirelessly put in efforts and developed India’s 1st vaccine for Hepatitis A. The vaccine Havisure® has undergone extensive clinical trials in 8 centers and has proven to be safe and efficacious. The vaccine is comparable to the world’s leading vaccine sold by a multinational. With Havisure®, we aim to contribute significantly to the prevention of this infectious disease. IIL launching three vaccines in a single year is itself a big achievement and full credit to my team,” Dr. K Anand Kumar, Managing Director, Indian Immunologicals Ltd. stated.
Havisure is set to play a crucial role to protect against the Hepatitis A virus, which primarily affects the liver, it claimed.
The vaccine is effective in preventing the disease and is recommended for children in the routine immunization. It is a two-dose vaccine wherein the first dose is administered at above 12 months of age and the second dose is given at least after 6 months of the first dose. The vaccine is also recommended for individuals who are at risk of exposure or travel to the regions with high hepatitis A prevalence. In addition to this people with occupational risk of infection and suffering from chronic liver diseases also need Hepatitis A vaccination.
“The company has considerably invested in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities to scale up production and meet the growing demand for Hepatitis A vaccine. As part of the launch, IIL will be collaborating with healthcare professionals, corporate hospitals, and government agencies to promote awareness about Hepatitis A and the importance of both paediatric, adolescent & adult vaccination,” Dr. Priyabrata Pattnaik, Dy. Managing Director, IIL said in a statement.
