New Delhi, Thursday, March 4, 2010: India's leading biotechnology firm Panacea Biotech as on Wednesday announced its venture with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHWF) for supplying Pandyflu, a Swineflu vaccine.

Various meetings have taken place between the MoHFW and vaccine manufacturers with an aim of knowing the capacity and willingness to develop, manufacture and supply the product. Panacea Biotec said it entered into an Advance Market Commitment (AMC) Agreement with the MoHWF.

Soshil Kumar Jain, chairman of the company said, “Development of Pandyflu and the Commitment with MoHFW is one of the most prestigious milestones for the company

Panacea Biotec has also set up a BSL2 level manufacturing unit (high-containment facility) with BSL3 practices at Lalru, Punjab for manufacturing Pandyflu vaccine. This facility has an annual capacity to manufacture 45 million doses of the vaccine, the company said. It is expected that Phase I studies would be completed by March 2010 to be followed by Phase II and III studies in adult and pediatric population.”

Presently phase I clinical trials are being conducted by the company.

These trials are conducted to figure out how safe and effective the compound is on human beings.

Ref: Topnews