Hyderabad: Indian President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam today inaugurated the state-of-the-art, human vaccines plant and research and development (R&D) centre set up by Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

Andhra Pradesh Governor Surjit Singh Barnala and Andhra Pradesh Minister for Commercial Taxes K Vijayarama Rao also graced the occasion. These facilities have been set up with an investment of Rs 50 crore. The plant has been designed to manufacture various human vaccines such as recombinant hepatitis B, measles, diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus. In addition, the plant has the capability and technology to produce new combination vaccines.

This unique complex houses several plants, which can simultaneously manufacture 200 million doses of each vaccine per annum. Speaking on the occasion Dr Amrita Patel, chairman, NDDB, said: "This plant marks a major milestone in indigenous technology development and places India on the global map in modern vaccine technology. We are committed to producing world class vaccines and make it available at affordable prices."

Apart from catering to the national needs, the vaccines produced in this plant will also be exported to meet the growing demand for quality vaccines under UNICEF's vaccine procurement programme.

IIL already exports its veterinary vaccines to a number of countries and is the largest supplier of FMD vaccines to Food & Agriculture Organisation. The global market for human and animal vaccines is about $8 billion and is growing at 9 per cent per annum. IIL targets to be a major vaccine player in both animal and humane vaccines and plans to garner a significant share of the global market.

Apart from the manufacturing unit, Kalam also inaugurated the R&D centre. Set up with an investment of Rs 8 crore this R&D centre will develop various animal and human vaccines and biologicals.

"IIL will undertake research which will lead to production of not only low cost but also thermostable products, which do not require a cold chain. In persuance of this a DNA rabies vaccine is being developed in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science, which is in advance stage of trials," said Patel.

The research centre will focus not only on developing vaccines based on modern biotechnology, but will also work towards developing therapeutics and diagnostic agents based on molecular biology. An important area of IIL's research will be in the area of hybridoma and human monoclonal antibodies for therapeutic purposes. The R&D centre is designed to emerge as a centre of excellence in modern biotechnology.

IIL does not restrict itself to merely being a vaccine manufacturer but is also a successful vaccination service provider through its chain of 1,600 Abhay Clinics and 500 Pratirodh Centres.