Wockhardt launches Biovac A vaccine

Wockhardt Ltd launched a new generation live attenuated Hepatitis A vaccine "� Biovac A "� across the country. Of the five Hepatitis vaccines currently available in the world, Biovac A is the only live attenuated vaccine, implying the virus is live whereas in the other the virus is killed.

The vaccine is manufactured by Zhejiang Pukang Biotechnology Co Limited of China, the originators of the vaccine. Wockhardt will market the vaccine for the Chinese company in India.

Addressing a press conference on the launch of the vaccine here on Wednesday, S Nagaraj, vice-president (sales and marketing), Wockhardt, said, "We expect the first consignment of 50,000 vials to arrive at Mumbai tomorrow."

Stating that they were earlier awaiting clearance from the Drug Controller General of India, Nagaraj said, Biovac A is cost-effective as it is a single-dose vaccine as compared to two doses required for the inactivated Hepatitis vaccine.

"The vaccine captures a marketshare of about 70 per cent in China," said Fangcheng Zhuang, deputy director of Zhejiang Pukang Biotechnology Co Limited. The vaccine, till date, has been administered to 120 million people successfully in China, he said.