Mumbai-based Haffkine Institute will begin clinical research activities after its drug testing labs are upgraded. Maharashtra Government has recently sanctioned a funding of Rs 3 crore in this regard, said Haffkine officials.

"The Maharashtra Government recently sanctioned a funding of Rs 3 crore for the laboratory upgradation within the Haffkines Institute. Gradually we will be increasing the tests conducted at the institute. Our aim is to offer a full package of clinical trials to pharma companies in the near future," said Dr S M Sapatnekar, director, Haffkine Institute.

Currently the tests are conducted by the institute include toxicology, bacteriology & virology, and polymerase chain reaction-based testing.

Haffkine Institute, with other institutions like the JJ Hospital, KEM Hospital, Lokmanya Tilak Hospital and the Medical College of Pune, was scouting for the State Government fund of about Rs 50 crore for the upgradation of their labs. However, the centre was unable to give any assistance at this juncture leaving the State Government to provide assistance on its own.

The institute is expecting another Rs 5 crore for the complete upgradation.

Haffkine Institute was opened as the Plague Research Institute in 1899 by Lord Sandhurst the then governor of Mumbai. Its primary job was to produce the plague vaccine for use all over India, a role that it fulfilled quite satisfactorily. At present it produces rabies vaccine and snake anti-venom.