Govt floats tender to develop monkeypox vaccine
The government has asked vaccine makers to develop a vaccine for Monkeypox, four cases of which have surfaced in India
PremiumThe Central Government on Wednesday invited expression of interest (EOI) for developing a vaccine against the monkeypox virus. This comes after India reported four cases of monkeypox so far.
The government has invited EoI from the experienced vaccine manufacturers, in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) kit manufacturers for joint collaboration in developing of vaccine candidate against the monkeypox disease.
Also, diagnostic kit manufacturers have been asked to develop diagnostic kits for the infection.
The last date for submission of EOI is 10 August.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has asked for bids from both and informed that it is willing to make Monkeypox virus strain available.
The ICMR statement said, “ICMR is lawfully entitled to enter into any form of non-exclusive agreements with experienced drug, pharma, vaccine, IVD manufacturers through defined agreement for undertaking R&D (research and development)as well as manufacturing activities using characterised monkeypox virus isolates of ICMR for development of vaccine against monkeypox disease or diagnostic kit for diagnosis of monkeypox virus."
Multiple pharma companies have reportedly initiated discussions with the governemnt for the development of a potential vaccine against monkeypox.
"The vaccine against monkeypox is under discussion with various vaccine manufacturing companies, but it is a very early stage for any such decisions. If it is required then we have potential manufacturers. If it is required in future then options will be explored," sources told news agency ANI.
India has reported four cases of monkeypox till now. The three confirmed cases are from Kerala while one is from New Delhi.
Monkeypox typically manifests itself with fever, headache, rashes for up to three weeks, sore throat, cough and swollen lymph nodes.
The symptoms include lesions, which usually begin within one to three days of the onset of fever, last for around two to four weeks and are often described as painful until the healing phase when they turn itchy.
As many as 70 countries where monkeypox is not endemic have reported outbreaks of the viral disease as confirmed cases crossed 18,800 and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a global health emergency.
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