New Delhi, June 3
Sick…suspecting H1N1? Fear not, for a single shot of country’s first indigenously manufactured H1N1 vaccine guarantees the recipient yearlong immunity to Influenza A.

Manufactured by Ahmedabad-based pharma major Cadila Healthcare, in a record time of six months since the swine flu outbreak last year, Vaxiflu-S, country’s first locally made influenza vaccine, was today formally launched by Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who took a shot himself.

Including Azad, the monovalent (which targets one pathogen) vaccine has been clinically tested on 271 adults for Indian conditions. It is meant for people aged 18 to 60 years with the exception of children and pregnant women for whom technologies are yet to be developed. The vaccine (having usual side effects) is tested for safety and is prescription based.

With the launch, India entered a coveted league of nations (US, few European countries, China and South Korea) that developed the vaccine while the HINI epidemic was on.

Back home, the vaccine comes at a time when World Health Organization renewed the H1N1 warning by a year. The epidemic has claimed 80,000 lives globally, killing 1,500 in India, most in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Rajasthan.

That explained Azad’s enthusiasm: “This is a great day. We finally have our first influenza vaccine since Independence. This will reduce our dependence on imported vaccines which are very costly — Rs 1,000 per shot,” he said, paving the way for Vaxiflu’s marketing from tomorrow.

Already 4.5 lakh vials (5 ml each) are ready for marketing. Maximum retail price of each vaccine is Rs 350 though post margin deductions, it would cost around Rs 270. With three more local companies (Bharat Biotech, Panacea Biotech and Serum Institute) developing influenza vaccine, costs will come down in future.

Meanwhile, TS Parmar, Vice-President, Business Strategy, Cadilla Healthcare today told the Tribune that another 20 lakh vials were available in bulk and could be marketed when wanted.

“We will first meet India’s requirements and then look at exports”, he said. Cadilla will also by year-end produce a trivalent (which includes H1N1 strain) seasonal influenza vaccine. Asked if it had the technology to revise the influenza vaccine as strains changed every year, chairman, Cadilla, Pankaj Patel said. “We are prepared.”

Current vaccine stocks are, however, meant for H1N1 patients and will expire after a year when new stocks would have to be produced. Manufacturers are, however, hopeful of consumption given the onset of monsoons and winters, traditional influenza seasons.

In May alone, India recorded 1,733 H1N1 cases. The incidence is expected to rise by winters. Last year, positive H1N1 cases ranged between 3,000 and 7,000 in the July-December period.

In any case, 10 per cent of Indians should technically get vaccinated for H1N1 as per the WHO. That means 10 crore people would need vaccines though past experience of consumption of imported vaccines has been poor. The government is also concerned. Azad admitted that out of 15 lakh imported H1N1 vaccines sent to states to be administered to health workers, few were given.

Among states, Orissa and MP performed the worst at administering imported H1N1 vaccines, achieving just 5 and 12 per cent vaccination, respectively. The states that crossed 50 per cent vaccination were Arunachal (94), Daman, Diu (92), Tamil Nadu (77), Chhattisgarh (68), Gujarat (67), Andamans (65), Punjab (62) and Lakshadweep (51). Azad said Rs 2000 crore had been spent on vaccine research ad development and people should use it. So far, Kerala and Andhra have asked for 80,000 Vaxiflu vaccines though the Centre is yet to place a formal order with Cadila.