The Hindustan Latex Limited (HLL) has appointed Denmark-based 'NNE Pharmaplan' as project consultant for the mega vaccine project, Integrated Vaccine Park, near Chennai. The Denmark-based company will facilitate the technology transfer, conceptualization, master planning, engineering and validation for the implementation of the modern Integrated Multiple Vaccines Complex in compliance with WHO standards.

Ending speculations on the status of project, HLL general manager (Projects) E A Subrahmaniam confirmed that the company has appointed 'NNE Pharmaplan' as project consultant for the project. There was speculation that due to the rising pressure from the employees of the three closed down vaccine units and also from various trade unions, the Union Health Ministry would again show a green signal to the decades old vaccine manufacturing companies to resume their operations, keeping the mega project in abeyance.

Hindustan Latex Limited, the largest contraceptive manufacturing PSU in the country, is the designated agency to execute the project. NNE Pharmaplan, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark is the world's leading engineering and consultancy company that focuses exclusively on the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries.

E A Subrahmaniam said that the HLL received the land allotment order for the project in December 2007 and has now completed the survey after taking over the possession in January 2008. According to him, the construction of a sidewall round the allotted land would begin in another two weeks and the company is planning to complete the first phase of the project by early 2010.

About the commencement of the plan, he said during 2005-06, HLL prepared a Corporate Vision Document by engaging Ernst & Young, one of the world's largest professional services and accounting firms and the document envisaged various business opportunities including Vaccine Project. Ernst &Young further explored the Vaccine business and they prepared a roll out plan which recommended HLL to enter into Vaccine Business in the year 2006-07 starting with Co- Marketing, In-licensing and Manufacturing and finally as a primary manufacturer.

Regarding HLL's experience in the vaccine business, Subrahmaniam said that in 2006-07, the company entered into co-marketing agreement with a leading Indian manufacturer to co-market Hepatitis -B and Typhoid vaccines. In another front, HLL became the sourcing agent for JE vaccine for government of India.

"Based on a well planned strategy, we approached the Health Ministry with a request to allot suitable land anywhere in the country to start the Vaccine Project .The strategy was to set up an integrated Vaccine Complex starting with manufacturing of the new generation vaccines and later enter into the UIP vaccines. The Union Health Ministry in principle agreed to the proposal and suggested the land available at Chengalpattu near Chennai in Tamil Nadu. In the meantime, citing non-compliance of GMP norms, the drugs controller general of India suspended the manufacturing licenses of the three public sector vaccine manufacturing units based in Chennai, Coonoor and Kasuli, and as a result the health ministry directed the HLL to take up the project of manufacturing UIP Vaccines as a program of national importance," he said.

He said HLL had then formed a Vaccine Action Committee and appointed a project team to implement the Mega Project giving priority to UIP Vaccines. The Company invited Expressions of Interest from major firms and NNE Pharmaplan was short-listed and finally appointed as the Project Consultants. In India NNE Pharmaplan, comprising its experts from India, Denmark and Germany, has three offices, one each in New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai.

Subrahmaniam pointed out the primary objective of the project is to build a state-of-the-art facility using international expertise. The technology for the project will be sourced from proven agencies in India and abroad and it will be finished in a phased manner.