Central Government has requested Expressions of Interest (EOI) in creating a vaccine against monkeypox virus days after instances of the disease were discovered in several regions of India.
The government put out a request for ideas for public-private collaboration to create a monkeypox vaccine and diagnostic tools. In order to create a vaccine candidate against monkeypox and the creation of diagnostic kits for identification of this virus, Center has extended invitations to experienced vaccine makers and in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) kit manufacturers.
The deadline for EoI submission is August 10.
The tender’s goal was to read, “For the following two activities—2.1 Development of a vaccine candidate against monkeypox disease—ICMR is willing to make Monkeypox Virus strains and isolates available. These activities include R&D, validation, and manufacturing activities using characterised isolates of Monkeypox virus. 2.2 The creation of diagnostic tools for determining if monkeypox virus is present.”
One of the Institutes of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, ICMR-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV), Pune, has identified monkeypox virus, which is being propagated on certain cell lines under biosafety laboratory settings. These isolates were refined and described in further detail.
The tender document stated that bulk propagation of viral stock had been accomplished and tissue culture infective dosage (TCID50) had been determined.
Regarding isolates of monkeypox virus and its purification, propagation, and characterization methods and procedures, ICMR has all intellectual property rights and commercialization rights reserved.
