Hyderabad: Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) announced on Tuesday the launch of HILLCHOL® (BBV131), a new Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV). This vaccine was developed by Bharat Biotech in partnership with Hilleman Laboratories, which is funded by Merck (USA) and Wellcome Trust (UK). The launch of HILLCHOL® represents a significant step forward in the global fight against cholera.
Currently, there is only one global supplier of OCVs, leading to a yearly shortage of around 40 million doses. To address this issue, Bharat Biotech has established large-scale manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar. These facilities have the capacity to produce up to 200 million doses of HILLCHOL® each year. Despite cholera being preventable and treatable, the number of global cases and deaths has been increasing steadily since 2021. Between early 2023 and March of this year, 824,479 cases and 5,900 deaths were reported across 31 countries.
The HILLCHOL® vaccine is taken orally on Day 0 and Day 14 and is suitable for individuals older than one year. It comes in a single-dose respule and should be stored between +2°C and +8°C. Additionally, HILLCHOL® is one of the first vaccines to be presented in a mono-multidose format.
Dr. Krishna Ella, the Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech, emphasized the importance of vaccines in preventing and controlling cholera outbreaks. He expressed pride in the partnership that led to the development of HILLCHOL® and noted that the new large-scale production facilities in Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar will significantly enhance their ability to produce and supply this lifesaving vaccine.
Dr. Ella also congratulated the team at Bharat Biotech and their partners for developing this novel vaccine. He thanked the CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organization) in India and WHO Geneva for their regulatory support and guidance.
The introduction of HILLCHOL® is a major milestone in global efforts to prevent cholera. It is expected to play a key role in helping the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) achieve its goal of reducing cholera-related deaths by 90 percent by 2030. This goal will be pursued alongside improvements in water and sanitation infrastructure.
The development and launch of the HILLCHOL® vaccine is the result of extensive international collaboration. Partners involved include Hilleman Laboratories, Bharat Biotech, the University of Gothenburg, and Gotovax AB. Hilleman Laboratories, which was founded by Wellcome and MSD, is proud of its role in this collaboration and its ongoing commitment to advancing global health equity through affordable and sustainable solutions for those most at risk of cholera.
While the cholera vaccine provides important protection against the disease, it is crucial to remember that it does not replace other preventive measures. Cholera continues to be a major public health challenge, particularly in areas with poor sanitation. The disease is primarily spread through the contamination of water and food supplies with fecal matter, a problem that is worsened by natural disasters and overcrowded living conditions with limited access to clean water.
