World's first DNA vaccine developed by Indian Institute of Science is ready for trials on dogs. Permission has also been sought from the Drug Controller General of India for clinical trails on humans begin.

Prof. PN Rangarajan, associate professor, department of biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science who is the leading the rabies vaccine development team told Pharmabiz.com that the vaccine is being developed in IISc in collaboration with the Hyderabad's Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL).

The vaccine which has undergone trials on mice and cattle and has proved that if an infected dog is injected with vaccine, it will no longer be a carrier of the dreaded disease rabies, informed Prof. Rangarajan.

The vaccine which has an international patent protection since last October is expected to cost less than half the price of the existing vaccine of Rs. 200 a dose of the cell cultured vaccine, he said.

According to Prof. Rangarajan, bringing down the cost of the dose from five for the existing vaccines so that DNA-based variety is effective in a single dose. But it is now for the company to decide on what to do further.

The officials from the Indian Immunologicals who were here in Bangalore at the Indian Institute of Science said that a decision would be taken shortly on whether to commence trails on the imported Beagle breed of dogs or to go ahead with trails on mongrels. A pre-toxicity study on dogs is already completed at the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad.

"We have sought the consent for clinical trails from the drugs Controller of India and these trails are expected to last for about two years," Rangarajan said.

The idea behind developing the vaccine is to bring down costs, which will go a long way to bring down the cost of the number of rabies cases in the country, he said.

The vaccine, which can be stored at room temperature, was first developed by taking a gene from the virus and injecting it into multiplying bacteria. The resulting effectiveness of about 70 percent was enhanced to 100 per cent when it was combined with a small quantity of cell culture vaccine.