Mumbai: Haffkine institute seeks nod to make Covaxin

The state-owned Haffkine Institute has sought permission from the Centre for transfer of technology from Bharat Biotech, an Indian biotechnology firm that has developed Covid-19 vaccine — ‘Covaxin’

The state-owned Haffkine Institute has sought permission from the Centre for transfer of technology from Bharat Biotech, an Indian biotechnology firm that has developed Covid-19 vaccine — ‘Covaxin’. Alternatively, it has also sought permission for ‘fill and finish’ operations of the Covid vaccine, in which, it will only fill vaccines in bottles and make them ready as a product.

Haffkine Institute. (HT PHOTO)

In a video conference meeting with Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi held on Wednesday, the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray also requested permission for the same, to which, the PM said they will encourage the industries and institutions interested in manufacturing Covid-19 vaccine.

In January, Haffkine Bio Pharmaceuticals Company sought permission from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for the transfer of technology from Bharat Biotech that has developed the first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine in the country. It means, the institute will be able to manufacture the vaccine, if provided the technology.

In the first week of March, the institute again sought permission for starting fill and finish operations for the Covid vaccine from the ICMR. In this process, Haffkine will get the vaccine in bulk and it will use its resources for fill and finish operations, said Sandip Rathod, managing director, Haffkine Bio Pharmaceuticals Company.

Haffkine is a public sector undertaking owned by the state government and has developed several vaccines that include anti-rabies serum, anti-venom serum, oral polio vaccine etc.

ICMR is an apex body in the country for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.

“Under ‘Mission Covid Suraksha’ the Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Limited (a subsidiary of Haffkine Institute) should get permission for the transfer of technology by ICMR so that vaccines can be produced. The firm can also start with fill and finish operations in which the firm aims to manufacture 126 million vaccines,” the chief minister said in the video conference meeting.

In response, the PM said they will encourage all the industries and institutions for developing the Covid-19 vaccine. The Centre will also be looking to promote utilizing such facilities in all the states 24x7 a day, said a statement issued by the chief minister office.

State health minister Rajesh Tope said, “PM Modi was positive over the request made by the chief minister for permitting technology transfer for manufacturing Covid vaccine. If permitted, we will demand the use of 25% of the total production in Maharashtra.”

“The operations for fill and finish production can be started in more than a month if permitted. The manufacturing of vaccines on its own will take more than a year. As for that, we have to develop BSL-3 laboratory and other resources,” Rathod said.

State medical education minister Amit Deshmukh said the Haffkine will set up a new plant for manufacturing the Covid vaccine in collaboration with Bharat Biotech. The project will cost ₹154 crore. “It is going to be done in two phases, in the first phase, fill and finish operations will be started by taking vaccines in bulk from Bharat Biotech. In the second phase, Haffkine will start manufacturing on its own by taking technology from the firm, which will take one and a half years. Till then, fill and finish operations will be continued,” Deshmukh said.