India's Zydus and IDRI to develop new vaccine for deadly parasitic disease

India’s fourth largest health care group Zydus and non-profit global health organization Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) will collaborate on the production and development of IDRI’s visceral leishmaniasis (VL) vaccine candidate, designed to prevent the deadly parasitic disease.

Last month, Zydus' diabetes drug Lipaglyn (saroglitazar) became the first New Chemical Entity (NCE) discovered and developed indigenously by an Indian pharma company to gain market approval and reach the market ( The Pharma Letter June 6).

Known as Kala-Azar in India, VL is transmitted by the bite of an infected sand fly. There are more than 500,000 new VL cases and 50,000 associated deaths each year.  VL is the most severe form of leishmaniasis, affecting vital organs, and, if left untreated, the disease can be fatal. Zydus and IDRI will collaborate to conduct clinical development activities in India with the aim to develop, register and market a vaccine candidate for the prevention of VL.