Bharat Biotech launches oral cholera vaccine to fulfill global shortage

Bharat Biotech International (BBIL) has launched a new oral cholera vaccine (OCV), to offer a solution to the global shortage of OCVs amid rising cases of the disease globally. The vaccine, HILLCHOL, is developed in partnership with Hilleman Laboratories, a Singapore-based vaccine research organization.

The introduction of HILLCHOL comes as cholera cases and deaths have been on the rise across the world. Despite being preventable and treatable, cholera cases and deaths have been increasing steadily since 2021.

From early 2023 to March this year, 824,479 cases and 5,900 deaths were reported across 31 countries.

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With only one manufacturer currently supplying OCVs worldwide, there has been a deficit of approximately 40 million doses annually. Bharat Biotech's new vaccine is set to address this shortfall, with its manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar, capable of producing up to 200 million doses.

HILLCHOL, administered orally on Day 0 and Day 14, is suitable for individuals over one year of age. It is available as a single-dose respule and must be stored between +2°C and +8°C. The vaccine is offered in a mono-multidose format.

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“Vaccines provide the best intervention to prevent, limit, and control cholera outbreaks. HILLCHOL is a success story of partnership leading to public health solutions. Our new manufacturing facilities will significantly enhance our production capacity, enabling us to combat cholera globally," Krishna Ella, executive chairman of Bharat Biotech, said.

The launch of HILLCHOL aligns with the Global Task Force on Cholera Control's (GTFCC) goal of reducing cholera-related deaths by 90 percent by 2030.

The vaccine was developed through the collaborative efforts of Hilleman Laboratories, Bharat Biotech, the University of Gothenburg, and Gotovax AB.

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