Wockhardt, Ranbaxy in race for AIIMS typhoid technology

Pharma heavyweights, Ranbaxy Laboratories and Wockhardt, are in the race to acquire a blockbuster typhoid recombinant vaccine technology developed by the country's premier medical institute, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

The new typhoid vaccine, under a project assigned by the department of biotechnology (DBT) to AIIMS, is currently due for commercialisation.

According to informed sources, though there were few other players also in the race to get the licence, Ranbaxy and Wockhardt are the two bidders shortlisted by the technology transfer company-Biotech Consortium India Ltd (BCIL).

The valuation of the technology transfer is still undisclosed. However, since it is a DBT-promoted research product, the government would also consider many other credibility aspects about the licensee as far as the commercialisation and marketing expertise of this breakthrough product.

While Ranbaxy sources declined to comment on the technology buyout, Wockhardt sources said that "the company is looking out for many novel technologies, and as a policy we do not comment on specific deals."

Typhoid vaccine market in India is currently around Rs 25-30 crore with an 80 million dozes per annum requirement and its export potential is estimated at $1 billion at current price level.

The industry sources said that the domestic requirement of typhoid vaccine is expected to double if the vaccine is identified for the national immunisation programme.

Currently, the vaccine is an optional vaccine both for children and adults and the government is likely to include it in the immunisation programme. Glaxo and Aventis Pasteur are the two multinationals marketing typhoid vaccine in India.

Other technologies developed by AIIMS so far include DNA/ MVA based-HIV -I kit, JEV chex- a rapid detection kit for Japanese Encephalitis etc.