Hyderabad-based Aurobindo Pharma will develop vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, also known as Covid-19, in collaboration with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).Under the agreement signed between CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and Aurobindo Pharma, Aurobindo will partner with CSIR for development of several Covid-19 vaccines. Three CSIR laboratories, namely CCMB Hyderabad, Institute of Medical Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh, and Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata, are developing vaccine candidates using different technology platforms. Aurobindo will undertake clinical development and commercialisation of the vaccines.
Commenting on this partnership, Dr Shekhar C. Mande, Director General, CSIR, said: “Joining of hands of premier CSIR laboratories with industry for development of vaccines will amplify India’s efforts in indigenous vaccine development and also help in preparedness for future pandemics.” Aurobindo Pharma Limited, based in Hyderabad, manufactures generic pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. The company’s manufacturing facilities are approved by regulatory agencies like US FDA, UK MHRA, Japan PMDA, WHO, Health Canada, MCC South Africa, ANVISA Brazil.
Dr Rakesh Mishra, Director, CSIR-CCMB said, “Our laboratories are working on novel proteins for vaccine development that have the potential to address the need for a second-generation vaccine. We are happy to partner with Aurobindo who have proven manufacturing and commercialisation capabilities.”
N. Govindarajan, Managing Director, Aurobindo Pharma Limited, said: “We are proud to join
hands with CSIR for developing vaccines to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. This collaboration further strengthens our Covid-19 vaccine development efforts. We are already setting up a large-scale facility in Hyderabad for manufacturing Covid-19 vaccine and other viral vaccines. Aurobindo is already developing a vaccine for SARS COV-2 through its wholly owned US subsidiary Auro Vaccines. The SARS COV-2 vaccine candidate is based on the company’s proprietary replication-competent, attenuated, recombinant vesicular stomatitis (VSV, Vesiculo Vax) vaccine delivery platform.”