Zydus ties up with US-based research centre to develop vaccine

The company is collaborating with National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAD) to develop a vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis

Pharmaceuticals major Zydus today said that its R&D subsidiary Etna Biotech will collaborate with US-based National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAD) to develop a vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis (VL), known as Kala-Azar in India.

Etna Biotech will also donate USD 2,40,000 for advancing research under the NIH leishmaniasis programme.

In a BSE filing, Zydus said: "Etna Biotech announced a collaborative programme with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) for advancing leishmaniasis research."

It further said: "Under a separate agreement, Etna Biotech also extended its support of the NIH leishmaniasis programme by donating USD 2,40,000 for research."

Commenting on the development, Zydus Group Chairman and Managing Director Pankaj R Patel said: "Zydus is proud to collaborate with US NIH to solve the increasing worldwide disease burden of visceral leishmaniasis and to move forward to put a basis for the successful development of a novel candidate vaccine for visceral leishmaniasis."

Headquartered in Ahmedabad, Zydus Cadila is a global pharmaceutical company that discovers, manufactures and markets a broad range of healthcare therapies.

The Group employs over 16,500 people worldwide, including over 1,600 scientists in R&D.

Cadila Healthcare is part of Zydus Group.