Single dose Hepatitis B vaccine, courtesy Shantha Biotech

Hyderabad: Shantha Biotechnics Ltd, a biotech healthcare products company, is making a pioneering attempt to reduce the dosage of Hepatitis B vaccine from three doses to single dose. The company said that, presently, no other firm globally is offering the vaccine in single dose.

Varaprasad Reddy, managing director, Shantha Biotechnics Ltd, said, “We are undertaking research and development work in developing new generation vaccines. One such activity is to bring down Hepatitis B vaccine's dosage from three doses to single dose.”

Shantha Biotech's-Shanvac B, which is now administered in three doses, is certified by WHO and the company is supplying this vaccine thereby meeting 40 percent of UNICEF's requirement.

Dr Raman Rao, managing director, head clinical research & medicomarketing, said, “We have recently started R&D work on this product. Globally, there is no other company that is offering the vaccine in single dose as of now. It will take anything not less than two to three years for the product to be out in the market. We will be filing for patents accordingly.”

According to the company, the reduction in dosage will help patients in reducing number of infections, brings down administration costs, and simplifies delivery logistics.

Khalil Ahmed, executive director, Shantha Biotech said, “When we started supplying Shanvac B to UNICEF, we addressed only five percent of the total requirement. But because of the quality, reliability, price component, we have now scaled up to supply 40 percent of UNICEF's need. We are sure that this pioneering effort to reduce the number of doses will be yet another drastic move for Shantha Biotech.”