US FDA’s denial of emergency use authorisation for Covaxin comes on top of Bharat Biotech’s delay in submitting Phase 3 trial data to WHO. BB’s partner Ocugen is now pinning its hopes on Canada’s regulators. The setback should prod manufacturers of forthcoming domestic offerings – BB’s intranasal vaccine and Genova’s mRNA shot – to up their regulatory game, especially when entering Western markets. Not doing so does disservice to India’s strengths. Note that Hyderabad-based Biological E figured in Joe Biden’s Quad Vaccine Partnership plan to manufacture 1 billion doses. The company won a US university’s patent-free anti-Covid recombinant protein, too.
There’s another, even bigger element in India’s vaccine game: How to stay at front when the West has rediscovered the value of vaccine research, thanks to Covid. Indian companies like SII gamely shouldered the onus of inoculating developing countries against infectious diseases at affordable rates. Long stints as contract manufacturers have helped Indian firms develop indigenous research capability. Now, they need to leverage it.
The big picture reveals threats and opportunities. First, many nations without vaccine production capabilities have been starved of shots when big manufactures like India and US prioritised local populations. So, the idea of diversifying vaccine pipelines gained great traction. This suggests more competition from developing countries. Second, Big Pharma is enthusiastically developing Covid vaccines and drugs. Pre-Covid, low margins and preponderance of infectious diseases in poorer nations had reduced incentives. With Covid infecting the rich and middle class of every nation, Big Pharma’s big plays may dominate vaccine tech. To stay in this race, India must scale up R&D spending. Concurrently, GoI must plug into the technology and trade partnerships offered by the Biden administration to counter China.
Here, a fixed notion of Atmanirbharta won’t help. Isolationist streaks akin to pre-1991 saddled us with domestic mediocrity while those integrated into global value chains flourished. If a foreign mRNA vaccine finds a consumer market in India, the company may consider local manufacturing and product localisation to suit India’s cold chain needs and wallet sizes. This, in turn, could make these vaccines suitable candidates for many countries with Indian characteristics.
Let’s also admit that our inability to meet global Covid vaccine demand is a critical weakness. Thankfully, regaining lost stature by early 2022 may be possible via the Cipla-Moderna, SII-Gamaleya, Providence-Biological E tie-ups. Meeting domestic demand, making for the world, and keeping up with new technology – that sums up India’s vax challenge.
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This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
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June 14, 2021 at 03:50AM
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New shot in the arm: Vax tech will get more sophisticated. What India must do to stay in the game - The Times of India Blog
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