Merck & Co/Wellcome venture links with MEND for developing world rotavirus vaccine
This article was originally published in Scrip
MSD Wellcome Trust Hilleman Laboratories, an R&D joint venture between Merck & Co and the Wellcome Trust, and the vaccine technology group, Medicine in Need (MEND), plan to develop a rotavirus vaccine that specifically addresses developing world challenges, including inadequate delivery infrastructure and high costs.
MSD Wellcome Trust Hilleman Laboratories said that the project, its first, will involve a feasibility study on how new technologies could be used for this purpose. This will examine the potential of formulations based on dissolving thin strips or granules to improve product stability, ease of use, transportation and affordability. Heat stability, ease of administration, package size and cost of goods are the key target characteristics of the proposed vaccine, which would protect against the leading cause of diarrhoea in infants and young children.
If the initial study is successful, similar plans for other oral vaccines of importance to developing nations are expected to follow suit.
The World Health Organisation has estimated that 10-50% of vaccines are wasted globally because of temperature control, shipping and other logistical issues.
Under the alliance, MEND, a not-for-profit body, will provide the formulation technology for the feasibility study, while MSD will provide 'components' of its existing pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (RotaTeq).
Hilleman Laboratories' chief executive officer, Dr Altaf A Lal, said that the collaboration would offer a much-needed exploration of how to tackle one of the greatest public health and logistics challenges in the developing world - distributing life-saving vaccines without the requirement for large bulk shipments, expensive warehousing and costly, difficult-to-maintain refrigerated shipping paths from the manufacturing plant to the patient.
It's unclear if Indian vaccine manufacturers will be roped in at some stage as part of the initiative, given their cost-competitiveness, among other strengths. Dr Lal had, at the time of the launch of the MSD/Wellcome Trust joint venture in 2009, suggested that Indian generics firms too would stand to gain from the venture and could assist in the cheaper production of vaccines (scripintelligence.com, 18 September 2009).
The joint venture, which is based in India, is expected to have a staff of about 60 researchers and developers.
The Indian government welcomed the latest initiative for a rotavirus vaccine. Dr M K Bhan, secretary to the department of biotechnology, ministry of science and technology, noted that although the proposed vaccine would cater to global needs, India accounts for as many as 100,000 rotavirus deaths annually.