Pharma major Zydus collaborates with US-based NIAD research centre to develop vaccine

Pharmaceuticals major Zydus recently announced that its R&D subsidiary Etna Biotech will collaborate with US-based National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAD) to develop a vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis (VL), known as Kala-Azar in India.

Etna Biotech will also donate $2,40,000 for advancing research under the NIH leishmaniasis programme.

Reportedly, Zydus disclosed the collaboration news in a BSE filing, and noted, "Under a separate agreement, Etna Biotech also extended its support of the NIH leishmaniasis programme by donating $2,40,000 for research.”

Zydus Cadila, a global pharmaceutical company that discovers, manufactures and markets a broad range of healthcare therapies, is headquartered in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Pankaj R Patel, Chairman and Managing Director of Zydus Group told mediapersons, "Zydus is proud to collaborate with US NIH to solve the increasing worldwide disease burden of visceral leishmaniasis and to move forward to put a basis for the successful development of a novel candidate vaccine for visceral leishmaniasis."

The Zydus Group employs over 16,500 people worldwide, including over 1,600 scientists, who are involved in R&D for the company. Cadila Healthcare is a part of Zydus Group.