The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has received 31 bids from manufacturers showing interest in developing vaccines against the monkeypox virus after the medical body floated the Expression of Interest (EOI) for the development of vaccine and diagnostic kits.
According to the source, of the total 31 bids, eight companies have submitted the EOI for the vaccine development while 23 firms showed interest towards the development of kits. The ICMR had invited the EOI last month after its lab National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune isolated the monkeypox virus strain. However, no company has been awarded the tender yet and it is currently under evaluation, the source added. The manufacturers would develop the vaccine through a public-private partnership.
The EOI was invited by experienced vaccine manufacturers and in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) kit manufacturers for joint collaboration in developing vaccine candidates against monkeypox. The last date for submission of EOI was August 10. “ICMR-NIV Pune has successfully isolated and cultured the Monkeypox virus strain from the samples of infected Indian patients. Genomic sequence of the Indian strains has 99.85% match with the West African strain circulating globally,’’ said the official.
There are two known types (clades) of monkeypox virus — one that originated in Central Africa and one that originated in West Africa. The current world outbreak (2022) is caused by the less severe West African clade. As per the EOI, the ICMR reserves all the Intellectual Property Rights and Commercialisation Rights on the Monkeypox virus isolates and its method/protocols for purification, propagation and characterization.
ICMR is lawfully entitled to enter into any form of non-exclusive agreements with experienced Drug/Pharma/Vaccine/IVD manufacturers through defined agreements for undertaking R&D among others.
Meanwhile, the national capital on Saturday reported one more monkeypox infection, taking the case tally to 5. Of the five infected patients, one has been discharged and four are being treated at LNJP Hospital. So far, India has reported 10 cases of monkeypox infection.
