Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has announced a significant development in the fight against emerging infectious diseases with its recent agreement with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to advance India’s first codon de-optimized live attenuated Zika vaccine. This move marks a notable milestone in the country’s vaccine development efforts.

Zika virus, primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, can also spread through sexual contact, blood transfusions, and organ transplants. Some cases may lead to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a serious neurological disorder. As of July 22, 2024, the Health Ministry has reported 537 Zika cases in India, with the disease’s presence noted in several states.

Currently, no vaccine exists for Zika virus prevention. IIL, in collaboration with Griffith University in Australia, has developed a codon de-optimized live attenuated vaccine that has successfully undergone pre-clinical evaluations and received regulatory approval for producing GMP-grade materials for clinical trials.

The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with ICMR outlines that the Council will finance the Phase I clinical trials, covering all associated costs, including conduct, investigations, and monitoring. These trials are scheduled to take place across ICMR’s network sites in India.

The four fully functioning sites that make up the ICMR’s Phase I trial network are ACTREC Mumbai, KEM Hospital Mumbai, SRM Chennai, and PGIMER Chandigarh. The network was formed last year. This infrastructure supports early-stage safety studies for innovative and affordable medical technologies, including vaccines. The initiative aims to enhance self-reliance in India’s healthcare sector and reduce the need for conducting preliminary trials abroad.

The collaboration between IIL and ICMR represents a significant step towards developing effective and accessible vaccines for emerging diseases, reinforcing India’s commitment to advancing public health through local innovation.